We happened to walk by this museum and decided to go and ask if it was possible to visit. Due to Covid19 restrictions a visit to the museum should have been booked in advance but we were told that we can visit if we keep the visit short. The area is very interesting and it’s amazing that so many old buildings are still standing. It felt like a trip back in time. It was nice to see how people used to live and all the an old tools etc.

This museum has lots of stories to tell! The collection of 14 houses (each with several rooms and entrances) captures the life of many people who actually lived in this area in the 19th and 20th century. Small wooden tablets with texts in Finnish, Swedish and English give a generic introduction to a particular profession (e.g. carpentry, saddle making, etc.) as well as a personalized story about an individual who lived in this area. There are also several nice video displays. Some houses are manned by people dressed in time-appropriate dress and with knowledge about the particular display. Language skills vary a lot, but the displays themselves tell most of the story. Unusually, Google maps didn't lead us straight there, but look for the crossing of Klostergatan and Vårdbergsgatan and you will see the entrance to the museum area from there.

Dont let the name fool you - yes it has a nice display of different handicrafts with local staff showing you how things were done before industrial revolution. But it is much more than that. For me it was mostly about seeing how Turku looked like 250 years ago. You get the feel of the streets, architecture, construction methods, rooms, etc of a 18th century life in a city.