The Seurasaari Foundation

The Seurasaari Foundation (Finnish: Seurasaarisäätiö, Swedish: Fölisöstiftelsen sr) is a Finnish non-profit, general-benefit foundation established in Helsinki in 1956. Its purpose is to support the museum operations of Seurasaari, the open-air museum island in Helsinki. The foundation's work is visible in events where Finnish cultural heritage and a traditional way of life serve as content inspirations. Its core values are community, participation, and living Finnish cultural heritage. The foundation was founded by four individuals: Dr. Niilo Valonen, advertising manager Matti Perkoila, state archaeologist C. A. Nordman, and Dr. Toivo Vuorela, who signed the founding document on 18 April 1956 at the National Museum of Finland. Two main reasons motivated the founding: organizing revitalization activities at Seurasaari and raising funding for the open-air museum. To achieve its goals, the foundation supports ethnographic research and publishing, promotes the study and recognition of Finnish intangible and tangible cultural heritage, organizes performances and activities that depict the character of Finnish cultural heritage, promotes other activities related to Finnish cultural heritage suitable for Seurasaari, and maintains collections and organizes exhibitions. It collaborates with researchers and students, hobbyists and professional artists, heritage organizations, and educational institutions. The foundation receives operating grants from the City of Helsinki. Key activities have included organizing Midsummer celebrations and other annual festivals at Seurasaari, making ethnographic films and conducting scientific surveys, and publishing the Seurasaari-Fölisö magazine and the scientific journal Ethnologia Fennica. Other activities have included producing the Seurasaari museum guide, creating brochures about Seurasaari's events and actors, supporting construction at Seurasaari, ethnographic research work, and organizing scientific seminars. Current activities focus on presenting intangible cultural heritage, publishing, and supporting ethnographic research. The foundation has a board of seven members: three appointed by the City of Helsinki, one by the Finnish Literature Society, one by the University of Helsinki (ethnology), one by the Finnish Antiquarian Society, and one by the Seurasaari Foundation itself. It also has a scientific committee established in 1978 as an ethnographic expert group, and the Emil and Lempi Hietanen Fund established in 1993, which awards annual research grants and stipends for Finnish ethnographic research in Finland and for publication of research. The foundation's office has been located in Seurasaari's Isännäntalo since late summer 2011, and it maintains the Kahvihuone Mieritz café and the Juhlakenttä kiosk on the island.

The Seurasaari Foundation was founded on 18 April 1956 at the National Museum of Finland, when the founding members signed the founding document: Dr. Niilo Valonen, advertising manager Matti Perkoila, state archaeologist C. A. Nordman, and Dr. Toivo Vuorela. Two important reasons motivated the founding: organizing revitalization activities at Seurasaari and raising funding for the open-air museum. The foundation's administrative bodies were its representative assembly (abolished in 1998) and its board. The founders named the first representative assembly and convened the first annual meeting, at which the regular board members were elected. Key activities have included organizing Midsummer celebrations and other annual festivals at Seurasaari, making ethnographic films and conducting scientific surveys, and publishing the Seurasaari-Fölisö magazine and the scientific journal Ethnologia Fennica. Other key activities have included producing the Seurasaari museum guide, creating brochures about Seurasaari's events and actors, supporting construction at Seurasaari, ethnographic research work in general, and organizing scientific seminars. Current activities focus on presenting intangible cultural heritage, publishing, and supporting ethnographic research. In 1978, a scientific committee was established as an ethnographic expert group. It participated in organizing seminars and planning the content of the journal Ethnologia Fennica, and handled research materials and manuscripts left by Niilo Valonen and worked to publish them. The scientific committee consists of representatives from universities and museums whose fields and expertise include ethnographic research and research supervision. The committee prepares annual proposals to the foundation's board for stipends awarded from the Emil and Lempi Hietanen research fund. In 1993, the Emil and Lempi Hietanen Fund was established within the Seurasaari Foundation. Emil and Lempi Hietanen bequeathed their property to the foundation by mutual will. The fund awards annual research room grants and research stipends for Finnish ethnographic research in Finland and for the publication of research. The grants are awarded by the foundation's board, with the scientific committee acting as its ethnographic expert body. Emil Hietanen (1908–1991), a sailor, and Lempi Kovanen (1908–1988), a cook, were a childless Helsinki couple who wanted to secure the property they had earned through thrift by bequeathing it to the Seurasaari Foundation. Their hobbies included handicrafts, outdoor activities, and language study. The foundation's office was long located in Villa Tomtebo in Meilahti, but since late summer 2011 the office has been located in Seurasaari's Isännäntalo. The foundation maintains the Kahvihuone Mieritz café and the Juhlakenttä kiosk on the island. The foundation's affairs are managed and its decision-making power exercised by the board in accordance with the law and its rules. The board has seven members: three appointed by the City of Helsinki, one by the Finnish Literature Society, one by the University of Helsinki (ethnology), one by the Finnish Antiquarian Society, and one by the Seurasaari Foundation. The foundation receives operating grants from the City of Helsinki. Chairs of the board have included C. A. Nordman (1956–1960), Niilo Valonen (1960–1983), Jouni Apajalahti (1983), Kari Poutasuo (1984–1988), Erkki Virkkunen (1989), Pertti Mustonen (1990–2000), Teppo Korhonen (2001–2007), Timo Ohmero (2008–2011), Pia Olsson (2012–2015), Miia Perkkiö (2016), Tiina Suopajärvi (2017–2018), Sanna-Maria Pakkanen (2019–2021), and Sakari Katajamäki (2022–). The foundation has published a series of seminar proceedings and other works, including 'Uusimman ajan etnologinen tutkimus taajamissa ja kylissä' (1974), 'Kulttuurityylien ja muotien kansanomaistuminen' (1976), 'Puurakennukset, historia, tutkimus ja suojelu' (1976), 'Talo ja perhe' (1980), and 'Temaattinen elämäkerta etnologisena ja museaalisena tutkimusmenetelmänä' (1982), among others.

• 2011

  Office moved to Seurasaari's Isännäntalo in late summer.

• 1998

  Representative assembly abolished.

• 1993

  Emil and Lempi Hietanen Fund established within the foundation.

• 1978

  Scientific committee established as an ethnographic expert group.

• 1956

  Foundation established on 18 April at the National Museum of Finland.

Non-profit foundation supporting Finnish cultural heritage and the Seurasaari open-air museum.

• Juhannusvalkeat (Midsummer bonfires)

  Annual Midsummer celebration at Seurasaari.

• Ethnologia Fennica

  Scientific journal published by the foundation.

• Seurasaari-Fölisö magazine

  Magazine published by the foundation.

• Kahvihuone Mieritz

  Café maintained by the foundation on Seurasaari.

• Juhlakenttä kiosk

  Kiosk maintained by the foundation on Seurasaari.

1. 1Seurasaarisäätiö | Suomalaisen kulttuuriperinnön vaalija, edistäjä ja tukijaseurasaarisaatio.fi
2. 2Seurasaarisäätiö - Wikipediafi.wikipedia.org
3. 3The Seurasaari Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org