Visiting Address
The Lauri and Lasse Reitz Foundation Museum
Apollonkatu 23 B 64, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Telephone
+ 358 9 442 501
Email
museum
reitz.fi
Opening Hours
From Jan 2 to Jun 30: Wed and Sun 3 pm to 5 pm
From Aug 1 to Dec 31: Wed and Sun 3 pm to 5 pm
The museum is closed until further notice due to renovation work
The Collections of the Museum
Lauri Reitz was happy to invest the profits he gathered from his building endeavours into collecting art and antique. Collecting was a childhood hobby. Lauri Reitz acquired his first art works in the 1920s. The collection grew at a rapid speed in the decades to follow. Even though he was a born aesthetic, when making purchases Reitz also kept in mind the items’ value as investments. He acquired most pieces from Finland, but bought objects from Sweden and Denmark as well.
The principal function of the Foundation is to maintain the museum, but it also accumulates its collections continuously. The new acquisitions seek to uphold the spirit of the original collection. As an example, the collection of some 60 paintings that Lauri Reitz acquired in his days has now increased almost threefold.
The Lauri Reitz Foundation’s collection of paintings consists mainly of works by 19th century Finnish artists. All the best-known masters of the 19th century Finnish art are represented in the museum: Alexander Lauréus, Robert Wilhelm Ekman, Ferdinand von Wright, Werner Holmberg, Albert Edelfelt, Aukusti Uotila, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Helene Schjerfbeck, Eero Järnefelt, Pekka Halonen and Hugo Simberg. The collection concentrates on the art of the Golden Era of the late 19th century.
In addition to paintings and antique furniture, Lauri Reitz also collected 18th century wares of the Meissen porcelain factory. The 18th century silver items made by Nils Enberg in Turku and Lorenz Rosenius in Vyborg represent early Finnish metal art. Experts also esteemed his collections of clocks, arms, instruments and textiles.