Exhibitions
The exhibitions at the Åland Maritime Museum tells stories of how the contradictory and omnipresent sea since time immemorial has affected the Åland islanders.
Our exhibitions take all our visitors on an exciting historical voyage. Personal stories are mixed with rare objects and entertaining activities. Our ambition is to awaken your curiosity and encourage conversations.
At the Åland Maritime Museum we can boast with a world class collection. Apart from incredibly fine models and impressive figureheads, there is also recreated ship interiors built up around original equipment, furnishings and objects. These come alive through photographs, stories and activities.
The Sailing Ship Era
Since time immemorial, sailing has been the Åland way of voyaging across the seas, and Mariehamn was the home port for the world’s last fleet of tall ships.
Engine-powered shipping
Engine-powered shipping was late in coming on Åland but once it had been established, it became the motor for modernizing Åland society at large.
Shipbuilding
Despite shipbuilding never growing into an industry in its own right, hundreds of ships were built here.
Safety at Sea
The sea and the wind are powerful natural elements that no human can tame. That said, there is plenty that can be done to promote safety on board and ashore.
Navigation
Compass, chronometre, sextant, log and sea charts are in principally all a navigator needs to determine position and follow a set course.
Maritime Mariehamn
From the founding of Mariehamn in 1861 it has been a maritime town. This is were the professional shipping industry developed and this is were successful master mariners build their splendid homes.
Cabinet of Curiosities
A cabinet of curiosities is made up of an eclectic collection of object that becomes a representation of all the world’s wonders and oddities in miniature.
The Cape Horn Room
Amicale Internationale des Capitaines au Long Cours de Cape Horniers was an exclusive club for seafarers who had rounded the notorious Cape Horn in a cargo-carrying sailing vessel.
Temporary exhibition
Hilda’s perfume – on the soul of things
The museum’s collections are made up of a plethora of typical maritime objects next to things that don’t seem to have anything at all to do with seafaring. They raise questions: What is valuable? What is beautiful? What should be saved for the future? The temporary exhibition “Hilda’s perfume – on the soul of things” discusses these questions.