The oldest wooden house in Helsinki was built on Kristianinkatu Street no later than 1818. In 1859, it was bought by the head of the city fire brigade, extensively rebuilt, and has hardly changed since then. The descendants of the fire chief lived in it until 1974, after which the building was transferred to the city and turned into a museum dedicated to the everyday life of the Finnish middle class in the second half of the 19th century.
We can see the home of a real family — fire chief Alexander Wickholm, his wife Erika, and their three children: Augusta, Alexander, and Franz. They lived in comfort, and this, of course, was reflected in the interiors; however, besides fashionable items of that time, the family also gladly used things inherited from their grandmothers.
The furnishings were recreated from surviving photographs and quite accurately reflect the tastes and preferences of well-off but thrifty townspeople. In addition to the main building, there is also an annex with two storerooms displaying clothes from that period, children's toys, kitchen and household utensils.
Creaking wooden floors, slightly faded textiles, old-fashioned knick-knacks, and that special smell found only in wooden houses will help you travel back in time and feel like guests of the close-knit Wickholm family.
