The Brylcreem photo exhibition at Hakasalmi villa at Mannerheimintie 13 was in my opinion a great one: it portrayed Helsinki in the 50’s. It was pretty cool to see how some streets were still easy to recognise and some were beyond imagination. The pictures also told a lot about the life in the post war era were apartments were small and many ingredients still scarce. But similar things still brought people together such as sports events or the beach. There is also one room that has been turned into a 50’s hairdressing salon and a room with a movie about the 50’s. One of the outhouses on the yard host a cute looking cafe nowadays, especially in the sunny weather but we opted for tapas in Bar Teos is in Töölö instead (the best tapas in town in my opinion!).
The exhibition is open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm and on Thursdays until 7pm, and there is no entrance fee.
The last picture seemed to me to be a continuation to my last post about the free school lunches: it is from a playground were the city of Helsinki offers all under 16 year old children a warm meal during the summer break for free. Still happens in all the bigger playgrounds at noon approximately from early June till mid August, so as long as your children have their own spoon and bowl, they’ll get food. It’s quite a lot of fun, an easy picnic so to say, as we have been going to the park with friends. And the best part is that even picky eaters eat the basic soups and porridge that mainly are offered because all their friends eat it.
For more free exhibitions in Helsinki, take a look here
Free But Fun 
[…] Hakasalmi Villa: free photo exhibition from Helsinki in the 50′s […]
Me too, can’t get over the free lunch thingy. And it’s still a tradition passed on till now? Is this available for all kids under 16? Or do you have to meet some criteria?
No criteria, just bring your own bowl and spoon and claim you are under 16. Wonderful.
Love the free lunch 🙂 Such a cute black and white photo. No child should ever be hungry!
I agree, how great wouldn’t it be if everyone would have food?!
I love looking at old black and white pictures! Thanks for sharing some!
I loved the atmosphere in the exhibition, those old pictures really were great.
I can’t get over the free lunch in the park, either! – but it did remind me that several schools in our district offer free lunches for a month during the summer. None of the schools close to us ever did it, but sometimes we do have the opportunity for a free lunch!
Cool!
I still can’t get over that free lunch in the park thing 🙂 .
I don’t want to get over it either 😉 will be in use when I have my 6+ weeks off and we are not travelling!