Object Collection

What kind of toys have been played with in early childhood education (ECEC) centers and kindergartens? What kind of tools were used in work education? What was done during the woodwork classes at the kindergarten seminar? An answer to these and many other questions can be found by researching the Kindergarten Museum's object collection.

The first exhibition of the new “Museum of Kindergarten Work and Education”, opened in 1998, brought together objects that had been preserved for years in the attic and basement of the Ebeneser House. Donations and loans for the exhibition were also requested, for example, in newspaper advertisements of early childhood education journals. The first objects were donated to the collection of the Kindergarten Museum through such object collection event.

The main collection of the museum, the Ebeneser collection, consists of objects from the kindergarten (1908–1986) and the kindergarten seminar (1892–1977) as well as the kindergarten teacher training college (1977–1993). Alongside the main collection the museum has objects from kindergartens and ECEC centers that operated elsewhere, as well as private donations, forming their own collections.

A large part of the collections donated by private individuals consist of material from kindergarten teacher students. The student collections form different sub-collections, such as the sub-collection of handwork and crafts. Thematic sub-collections can be formed within all collections, such as toys, work education related objects, blackboards, furniture and pedagogical material.

The collections include toys, tools, textiles and other kindergarten equipment from different eras. There are about 3,400 objects in the collections.

The largest collections of objects and the number of objects listed:

• Ebeneser collection (about 1000)

• Pääskylä collection (about 550)

• Vallilaakso collection (about 500)

• Marjala collection (about 200)

The Kindergarten Museum's object collection is utilized in the museum's exhibitions. The objects are also lent to exhibitions at other museums. In addition, the collections are open to researchers. It is possible to browse a sample of 500 objects from the Kindergarten Museum through Finna .

The separate pedagogical collection supports the pedagogical activities of the Kindergarten Museum. There are plenty of pedagogical collection objects in the exhibition spaces that can be explored and tested by visitors. Guided tours and workshops utilize the pedagogical collection to deepen the experience.

The collections of the Kindergarten Museum are being further augmented and we accept donations. The museum's interest now is the slightly newer material (1970s-2020s).

Do you have items related to Finnish ECEC center, kindergarten or kindergarten teacher training? Read more about donations here.