Pentala Archipelago Museum

Pentala Archipelago Museum

The Pentala Archipelago Museum is a venue of the Espoo City Museum, displaying the many aspects of island life from housing and working to the idle summer vacations of the city-dwellers. It is located on an old fisherman’s estate in Espoo Bay on Pentala island. The museum area consists of fifteen different buildings. Fisherman’s cottage, which is the oldest building in the area, was built in the early 1790s. The fisherman’s estate was inhabited year-round until 1986. Guests get to know about the everyday life of the inhabitants back in time such as how the work and leisure time was spent. 

Some of the museum buildings can be entered free of charge, but there is an entrance fee to the Gurl's house. Only a limited number of visitors are admitted to the house at a time. The archipelago museum area is accessible, however some of the buildings only partially. The museum hosts guided tours, exhibitions, workshops and events. Also, the museum shop and Café Paven are at your service during the museum opening hours. The idyllic summer restaurant Paven is located next to the museum area.

Pentala Island

The island of Pentala introduces visitors to learn about the archipelago nature of Espoo. The 130-hectare size of an island is a unique combination of marine nature, living history, and culture. The island is largely a nature reserve and Lake Pentalanjärvi in the middle of the island is an absolute gem of nature. A nice 2.3 km-long nature trail takes walkers through the island. The island also has a lovely unrefined sandy beach Diksand, which is a great place for the whole family to relax. The beautiful red earth-colored houses reflect the uniqueness of the Pentala island.

Own snacks can be brought to Pentala Island. The cafe and archipelago restaurant in the museum area will serve visitors who look for delicious food experiences. At Pentala, campfires and camping are not allowed. Pentala can be reached with Espoo's archipelago boats or by your own boat.