Dear colleagues,

An initiative has been made to found a museum of garden history
into Helsinki, Finland. The museum would basically consist of
an information/exhibition centre in an old villa, a model garden
with period planting and a restored surrounding park. In the
future the museum might also house collections of Finnish garden
and landscape designs. A smallish 'garden centre' and a caf‚
have also been thought out.

Behind the initiative is a committee, in which the city of
Helsinki, gardener and landscape architect organizations, a
gardening society as well as the ICOMOS national subcommittee on
historic parks and gardens participate (myself representing the
latter). Some kind of permanent organization will possibly be
established to promote the museum and the Finnish garden history
in general. At this stage we would be very keen to learn about
any museums or museal gardens, archives or organisations of
similar kind anywhere in the world.

I would be extremely grateful for any information concerning the
main objectives, the financial and organisational arrangements
and the interpretational practices of any such institutions, as
well as their contact information. Any advice that you feel
could help our project would also be most welcome.

This message has been sent to several lists. Please forgive any
cross-posting that might occur.

Please reply directly to my address, [log in to unmask]


yours sincerely,


Maunu Hayrynen
PhD, MA
Junior Fellow (acting)
Academy of Finland
Research Council for the Environment
and Natural Resources

Unioninkatu 45 E 51
FIN-00170 HELSINKI
Finland

Tel +358-9-135 9213
Fax +358-9-451 4465

E-mail: [log in to unmask]