Espoo Museum of Modern Art
How about exploring dream worlds in a museum – in your pyjamas? You don’t have to wait for it any longer! The Children’s Museum Festival on 16 and 17 March has loads of activities that are inspired by the idea of a pyjama party activities and imaginary worlds: workshops, performances, music and other fun stuff in which art, architecture and history play an important role.
Activities for the entire family include AnnanHouse disco, Chevalier hobby horse circus and scenes from Unikuskit, a play for children. In the galleries you can come across Dream Scientist, a hilarious duo who investigate the mysteries of dreams, and you may even meet Mr Clutterbuck, everyone’s favourite sleepwalker.
Children’s Museum Festival is organised by EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, the Leikki Museum of Play, the WeeGee Exhibition Centre, KAMU Espoo City Museum, and Kruunu, the Finnish Museum of Horology and Jewellery. The festival collaboration also includes the Espoo City Library, the Espoo School of Art and the Arkki School of Architecture for Children and Youth. In cooperation with AFRY.
On this page you will find information about different workshops, performances and other activities at the festival as well as their schedule.
Festival maps
Exhibition Centre WeeGee
Museum Leikki and Museum Kruunu
Performances
Exhibition Centre WeeGee
EMMA, 2nd floor
ILMI Ö theatre: Sleepy blue whisper machine
Sat−Sun 11−12.30, 13.30−15 and 15.30−17
A blue vending machine that whispers dreams! Do you want to hear a thrilling dream, or would you rather soar into the sky with the fantasy of flying? Funny dreams are sure to make you laugh, and a soft dream will almost put you to sleep. Select a dream by pulling the knob, then press your ear to the machine and enjoy your dream!
Kuskit Company: Scenes from the Unikuskit performance
Sat at 12, Sun at 12 and 14 (in Finnish)
Unikuskit (Dream Drivers) is a wacky and anarchic children’s theatre performance for children aged 4–9 and adults. The show is based on dreams collected by interviewing children in daycare centres and primary schools. There’s a machine that makes dreams. It’s called the Dream Machine. It’s a versatile machine that can do anything. We Dream Drivers are the ones who control the Dream Machine.
AnnanHouse disco
Sat−Sun at 13 and at 15
The super-popular AnnanHouse disco for the whole family makes a visit to the Children’s Museum Festival! The music is provided by Annantalo’s very own DJ, Nicolas Sebastien, who will play music styles from house to disco. The DJ is joined by Kana, his sleepy sidekick. Come and experience the joy of dance and good music!
There is loud music and strong flashing lights at the disco.
Mr Clutterbuck and Dream Scientists on stage
Sat at 14 (in Finnish)
Mr Clutterbuck will meet the wacky Dream Scientists at the pyjama party. Don’t miss it – come see what happens!
Meet Mr Clutterbuck
Sat−Sun at 16
Mr Clutterbuck will meet the wacky Dream Scientists at the pyjama party. Don’t miss it – come see what happens!
Museum Leikki and Museum Kruunu
Race Horse Company: Chevalier – Hobby horse circus
Sat−Sun at 13.30 and at 15.30
Featuring selected parts from Chevalier – Hobby Horse Circus, the show presents the ringmaster riding a hobby horse as he performs traditional circus acts: acrobatics, juggling, balancing acts and clowning – while remaining true to Kalle Lehto’s distinctive style, humour and breakdance moves.
Workshops and other activities
Exhibition Centre WeeGee
EMMA, 2nd floor
Dream bingo
Sat−Sun 11−17
Keep your eyes and ears open! This bingo game takes you on a tour of the museum, where you’ll find activities that spark the imagination. Perhaps you’ll meet dreamy creatures or find yourself in a fantasy world. Make a full line and say “Bingo!
Dream forest
Sat−Sun 11−17
Where do dreams live? Your adventure with strange dream animals and fantasy creatures in a magical forest of dreams is about to begin. The forest is full of glowing trees and colourful fruit, starry skies and rainbows. Step onto the path and draw your own dream to share with the forest!
KAMU, 1st floor
Moonlight ride
Sat−Sun 11−17
Do you have what it takes to get on a hobby horse and ride into the garden at night? After you’ve found all the golden horseshoes that have fallen to the ground, you can make yourself a rosette as a reward for your bravery.
Espoo School of Art
Reading lamp
Sat−Sun 11−17
What is your favourite bedtime story? What kinds of people, animals and imaginary creatures do you find in the world of fairy tales? In this workshop we create creatures from dreams and fairy tales by drawing and cutting, then assemble them into three-dimensional reading lamps. LED lights make the lamp’s creatures glow and come to life in the evening dark. Join us to make a reading lamp and shed new light on your favourite bedtime stories!
Arkki
On a forest trail
Sat−Sun 11−17
What’s a good way to experience forest moments and architectural wonders? This workshop takes you on an imaginary walk into a forest, where a pyjama party will engage all your senses and alert you to the wonders of the budding spring. The small, nest-like spaces are perfect for listening to a fairy tale or relaxing to the sounds of nature or even taking a nap. Come and see what other fun things there are to enjoy in the forest.
WeeGee basement floor
Slumberland
Sat−Sun 11−17
Is all the activity becoming a bit too much? Do you need some quiet time? Come to Slumberland, where you get to tuck in your mom or dad or accompanying adult figure and read them bedtime stories. Take off your shoes, step into the space and find a comfy place among the cushions. Then tuck in your companion and lull them to sleep. Remember to make no loud noises and read the fairy tale in a whisper. Shhh, someone seems to be sleeping already…
Slumberland is a sensory-friendly space, and you can borrow noise-reduction earmuffs.
WeeGee lobby
Pathway of dreams
Sat−Sun 11−17
In a dream, anything can happen! Draw or write your most curious dream on a banner, which will be added to a garland fluttering in the wind in the yard outside the WeeGee centre.
WeeGee yard
Library’s Activity Bus Välkky
Sat−Sun 11−17
Library’s activity bus Välkky will park in front of the WeeGee building for the duration of the festival. The bus has a selection of sweet, sleepy and exciting children’s books for bedtime reading. Come borrow a book or two on your way home!
Museum Leikki
Slumber studio for toys
Sat−Sun 11−17
Help your toy friend fall asleep – prepare it an evening snack, sing a lullaby and tuck it into bed. What do toys dream about? Do they complain at bedtime like any other kid? Bring your own sleep buddy or grab a loaner!
The Quest for Slumbering Toys
Sat−Sun 11−17
Every night when the lamplight fades out, the toys’ night begins! Explore the Museum Leikki’s exhibition and find all the toys getting ready for bed.
Museum Kruunu
Can you catch the sleep genie?
Sat−Sun 11−13 and 14−16
In this workshop we make soft, tufted sleep genies, cute little creatures that help you fall asleep. You can hang the sleep genie near your bed.
A day in your life as a comic strip
Sat−Sun 11−17
What are the high points of your day? What activities fill your day? Draw a comic strip about your everyday life, from waking up to going to bed.
Missing clock parts!
Sat−Sun 11−17
The museum clockmaker has lost some parts of a wall clock in the exhibition gallery. Help us find them so that he can continue with his repairs.
Festival area
Dream scientists
Sat−Sun 11−17
Snooze, catnap, shuteye. What happens when we sleep? The wacky sleep scientist duo tour the Children’s Museum Festival to unravel the mysteries of dreams. They gather valuable information from visitors about the world of dreams and interpret the dreams they’ve had. You can recognise the scientists by their quirky costumes and odd-looking science kit, which contains all sorts of sleep research instruments. Dive into the world of dreams with the scientists and help them with cutting-edge research!
Ticket info and how to find us
Admission to the Children’s Museum Festival is included in the price of the museum ticket! The festival takes place in two separate museum buildings, each with its own entrance fee. Read more about the ticktets here.
Tapiola museums are located within walking distance of Tapiola metro station, at Ahertajantie 3 (Leikki and Kruunu) and Ahertajantie 5 (WeeGee Exhibition Centre: EMMA, KAMU and Mauri Kunnas exhibition). We recommend using public transport. EMMA’s website has videos with instructions to help you find your way from the metro station to the festival. Please note that there is a very limited number of parking spaces near the museums.