Welcome to the Moominhouse!

The exhibition invites visitors to explore the Moominhouse (1979) by Tove Jansson (1914–2001), Tuulikki Pietilä (1917–2009), and Pentti Eistola (1931–2022). The photographs reveal even the most hidden corners of the house—areas not usually visible to the public—such as the Moominhouse sauna. Visitors can also discover the materials used, preliminary sketches, architecture, and various stages of the construction. For its creators, building the Moominhouse was a joyful act of play.

Originally created for the International Illustration Biennial in Bratislava in 1979, the diorama toured several countries and exhibitions before Tove Jansson donated it to the City of Tampere in 1986. Today, the house has found a permanent home in the Moomin Museum, where it is a beloved centerpiece of the museum’s main exhibition.

The door of the Moominhouse is always open to everyone, and its welcome is warm and hospitable. The house’s permanent residents are Moominmamma, Moominpappa, and Moomintroll. In the Moominhouse, love, friendship, and togetherness are what matter most. Guests—whether staying briefly or for a longer time—are always welcome just as they are, and differences are always embraced. The Moominhouse symbolizes safety, shelter, and a sense of belonging.

In celebration of the Moomins 80 anniversary year, the new exhibition at the Observatory also explores the Moomins’ home through Tove Jansson’s original illustrations and stories, letters, objects, photographs, and film material. Among the museum’s collections is the very first illustration Tove Jansson ever drew of the Moominhouse, featured in her first Moomin book The Moomins and the Great Flood from 1945.