The world was faced by a terrible pandemic in the spring of 2020 and schools and cultural institutions closed, but eg. the museums could reopen again in the summer - with restrictions. Hertonäs Manor Museum opened in June and was kept open until Nov. 1st. We had less paying visitors than last year, but more than we ever could expect. In the autumn we joined the Museum Card along with 200 other museums. It is nice to be part of a bigger network!
Carl Olof Cronstedt (1756-1820). Photo: National Museum of Finland.
This year we recognized that had been 200 years since the death of admiral Carl Olof Cronstedt, who was one of the owners of the manor. We arranged a miniposter exhibition in the staircase to lift up the admiral’s memory. The exhibition was exported to Arbis (at Dagmarinkatu in Helsinki) where it can be seen on the 2nd floor during the winter. The museum also cooperated with Arbis and held a course “Drawing at Hertonäs manor” in the autumn. It will continue in spring (you can join the course on Ilmonet - welcome!).
Our partner DOT r.f. Arranged the popular timetravels A Day in the Countryside in autumn (and not in spring as usually). DOT also wanted to commemorate Cronstedt and arranged nice and popular timetravels about this era in September. The timetravel experience was also lifted forward in the press.
In early spring in 2020 I promised that the museum should become more digital. I started with this blog, in which also the guides participated with texts. Due to Covid-19 the need to digitalize became urgent. During the Helsinki Day 12th June our Stadin Puutarhuri (Jan Liesaho) arranged a stream in which the museum also took part. We streamed in Swedish and Finnish from the 2nd floor at the museum, again with focus on Cronstedt.
Together with the artists Herttoniemenrannan taiteilijat the projekt Tarinalyhty continued. They participated in the “Night of the Animals” 23rd August with a shadow workshop. During the evening Knusbacka farmstead was open and about 50 people visited us. We tried not to make the event big due to the virussituation. The museum also presented its first eMuseo-tour with animal theme. You can experience it alos from home - test it here!
We also had a few minor events at Knusbacka farmstead. 13th September we had a feast in cooperation with the folkdancers from Finlands svenska folkdansring (Heidi Palmu) and the Dyers Guild and the European Heritage Days. During the Halloween event 1st Nov. we streamed live in Swedish and Finnish. The 23rd August and 13th September we arranged outdoors services with the parish Herttoniemen seurakunta.
Outdoors service with the parish Herttoniemen seurakunta in September. Photo: EAW 2020.
DOT’s beloved Chrsitmas Path in 2020 had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Some funny clips were filmed and sent digitally. The museum also founded a Youtube-channel and in the autumn we published to clips about the herbs at Knusbacka and the bees - follow us here. In April 2020 to hives were installed at Knusbacka by Hive Five/Art Maloku. The bees produced 200 jars of honey that we sell at the museum. The museum also got a teablend of its own developed for us by Oy Sergejeff Ab.
The pandemic caused some measures and most of the guided tours were held in small groups or outdoors. But we managed to develop three special tours: one about film, one about women and one about park history. We also cooperated with Kävelyfestivaalit and Lähimatkailupäivät. The guides have participated actively in developing the new tours.
During 2020 the curator has developed a political program for the collections of the museum in cooperation with the researchers at Helsinki City Museum. The catalogue of the museum has been digitalized, but the development of a database is a longer project - it will probably take the whole decade. But in the end a museum is its collections and exhibitions why it is the top priority to guard them and exhibit them. With open arms we welcome the year 2021 and still look optimistically on the future! I will tell you more about oru plans for this year later on in the blog. Happy New Year to everyone!