Kurssi House, Helsinki

The Kurssi House was a wonderful addition to the Open Air Museum of Seurasaari Island in the 20th Century. It represents a very typical kind of dwelling for a farmer that was kind of middle class in terms of financials. The museum has tried to display a variety of such homes from many different economic classes, as part of the overall exhibit.

The center point of life on the Kurssi farm was the main living room in the dwelling. The family would sit there and read, talk, prepare the food to feed the family, etc. This space was also available as a place to sleep for the servants and guests. The master and his wife had a separate bedroom.

At the other end of the house was a large room that was used to store food and weave material for clothes. A daughter’s loft was located in the upstairs part of the building. There is a beautiful textile display there to see. The lofts on the lower floor were used by the master’s immediate family. Typically though, extended family only stayed there for a bit over the summer.