About the museum

Signe and Ane Gyllenberg founded a medical research foundation in 1948. The importance of art grew within the foundation when Ane decided to donate his extensive art collection to the foundation in 1966. The idea was to display the collection to the general public, followed by the idea of building a museum attached to their home.

The museum is situated in Signe and Ane’s former home, which was designed by Matti Finell. The extension to the villa was built in 1955.

The extension to the house, the art gallery, was inaugurated in 1980 and designed by Ålander – Packalén – Korsström Architects, Per-Mauritz Ålander as the head architect. Per Mauritz-Ålander has worked for Alvar Aalto, and some of the gallery details have a Aaltoesque feeling to them.

Both Signe and Ane passed away in 1977. Villa Gyllenberg was officially inaugurated in December 1980.

The museum today

The museum exhibits art works from the foundation's own collection, as well as special exhibitions with works from other museums and collections. We have approximately one special exhibition a year, the rest of the time we display selected works from our own collection.

The old side of the museum, i.e. Signe's and Ane's former home, displays works by Finnish artists from the 19th and 20th century, as well as older European art. The parlor, and the old and the new dining room are furnished with the couple's old furniture.

On the second floor you'll find Ane Gyllenberg's study complete with furniture and art works. There's also a film about Ane Gyllenberg and the foundation, but these are only in Finnish and Swedish. The staff is happy to tell you more about the subject, feel free to ask.

The amount of visitors grew steadily during the 2010's and it became clear that the museum premise was in need of a renovation. A new extension, with a new entrance and a museum shop, was built during the renovation that took place in 2020-21.

The renovation should be completed in late 2021, and we are looking forward to reopening in early 2022.

Virtual tour

Take a virtual tour in the museum and its garden here.