Mannerheim Museum

The Mannerheim Museum in Helsinki sits on a hill in a prestigious residential neighborhood next to Kaivopuisto Park. Originally built in 1874 as the Boman Villa, the building served as the home of Finnish Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim from 1924 until his death in 1951. He rented the house from the industrialist Karl Fazer and had it extensively remodeled, since it had previously been divided into six workers' apartments. Mannerheim designed the interiors himself, right down to the color schemes and furnishings. Today the museum presents the residence as it looked in the early 1940s, complemented by exhibits that shed light on his life and the historical era. You'll see an extensive collection of orders and decorations from various countries, hunting trophies, his book collection, and portraits of his ancestors. Particularly striking is the spartanly furnished bedroom. Because the rooms are small and filled with delicate objects, you can only visit as part of a guided tour, which is offered in Finnish, Swedish, and English.