Åland Maritime Museum
Encyclopedia
The Åland Maritime Museum (Swedish: Ålands sjöfartsmuseum) is a museum in Mariehamn
in the Åland Islands
, Finland
. It is located in the western part of the town on the sea on Hamangtan, about 1 km at the other end of Storangatan. Along with Ålands Museum it is the most important museum in the islands and a monument to the past glory of Alanland's claim as the holder the world’s largest fleet of wooden sailing ships in the past. The major piece of the museum is a four-masted barque named Pommern
moored in the harbour which was built in Glasgow
in 1903, which is anchored behind the museum building. The traditional museum designed like a ship’s prow cutting into the land, has been called the “kitsch museum of fishing and maritime commerce.”
Another unique feature arranged by the Åland Museum, since 2005 on their web site, is information on the role of women in maritime history with particular reference to Åland Islands. The study brought out in the Article titled "Women in Maritime Communities – A Socio-Historical Study of Continuity and Change in the Domestic Lives of Seafarers' Wives in the Åland Islands, from 1930 into the New Millennium", a thesis by Dr. Hagmark is available on the Museum’s web site.
, Antwerp or Hong Kong
or elsewhere), done by local artists that were specially commissioned by the captain of every ship are exhibited in the museum. Even the models of the ships of different times have been prepared thought fully for display on a uniform scale model so that even now the difference between a Baltic schooner and an ocean-going windjammer
could be easily discerned.
route between Australia and England during the interwar years, is now anchored behind the museum as a display. This is considered as the symbol of Mariehamn. It is very well preserved. It was launched in 1903 in Glasgow, Scotland, under the name Mneme, and was later re-named Pommern. Gustaf Erikson
had bought the ship in 1929. With a 26 member crew, it used to carry several tonnes of merchandise (mostly wheat during World War II
). It won the grain race
twice in the 1930s, and completed the route under 100 days at least four times. It has a record for running for 110 days at a stretch. It is the centrepiece of the museum since 1957 at its present mooring on the in the western harbour of Mariehamn, after sailing for over 70 years. Many cabinets in the museum display curios of artifacts collected by the sailors from different lands; some of them are piranhas and sharks’ jaws, shells and corals. A unique display is the pirate's flag which is one of its kind in the world.
Mariehamn
Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city...
in the Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It is located in the western part of the town on the sea on Hamangtan, about 1 km at the other end of Storangatan. Along with Ålands Museum it is the most important museum in the islands and a monument to the past glory of Alanland's claim as the holder the world’s largest fleet of wooden sailing ships in the past. The major piece of the museum is a four-masted barque named Pommern
Pommern (ship)
The Pommern, formerly the Mneme , is a windjammer. She is a four-masted barque that was built in 1903 in Glasgow at the J. Reid & Co shipyard....
moored in the harbour which was built in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1903, which is anchored behind the museum building. The traditional museum designed like a ship’s prow cutting into the land, has been called the “kitsch museum of fishing and maritime commerce.”
Museum layout
The Åland Maritime Museum is considered as one of the world’s finest museums related to merchant sailing ships. The building that depicts this glory is laid out in two floors with a plethora of objects relevant to the past glory of the shipping era. The museum has a library wing which has large collection of old archives of books and photos. Souvenirs of books, picture post cards are also available on sale in the museum shop.Another unique feature arranged by the Åland Museum, since 2005 on their web site, is information on the role of women in maritime history with particular reference to Åland Islands. The study brought out in the Article titled "Women in Maritime Communities – A Socio-Historical Study of Continuity and Change in the Domestic Lives of Seafarers' Wives in the Åland Islands, from 1930 into the New Millennium", a thesis by Dr. Hagmark is available on the Museum’s web site.
Exhibits in the museum
The museum has created the central core of a ship depicting a mast, saloon, galley and cabins. The Ships figureheads, which have been moot witness to events of shipwreck, storms and other glorious or inglorious incidents, have been displayed along with boats; the prominent figurehead displayed is that of the male statue which once decorated the ship, the "California". In addition, nautical trappings, a number of ships in bottles and sea chests are also on display. Portraits of the paintings of the ships (docked either in HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, Antwerp or Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
or elsewhere), done by local artists that were specially commissioned by the captain of every ship are exhibited in the museum. Even the models of the ships of different times have been prepared thought fully for display on a uniform scale model so that even now the difference between a Baltic schooner and an ocean-going windjammer
Windjammer
A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century...
could be easily discerned.
Pommern – the museum ship
The Museum Ship Pommern, a four masted merchant barque and windjammer which regularly operated on the grain tradeGrain trade
The grain trade refers the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, maize, and rice.-History:The grain trade is probably nearly as old as grain growing, going back the Neolithic Revolution . Wherever there is a scarcity of land The grain trade refers the local...
route between Australia and England during the interwar years, is now anchored behind the museum as a display. This is considered as the symbol of Mariehamn. It is very well preserved. It was launched in 1903 in Glasgow, Scotland, under the name Mneme, and was later re-named Pommern. Gustaf Erikson
Gustaf Erikson
Gustaf Adolf Mauritz Erikson was a ship-owner from Mariehamn, in the Åland islands, famous for the fleet of windjammers he operated to the end of his life, mainly on the grain trade from Australia to Europe....
had bought the ship in 1929. With a 26 member crew, it used to carry several tonnes of merchandise (mostly wheat during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
). It won the grain race
Grain race
Grain Race or The Great Grain Race was the informal name for the annual windjammer sailing season generally from South Australia's grain ports on Spencer Gulf to Lizard Point, Cornwall on the southwesternmost coast of the United Kingdom, or to specific ports...
twice in the 1930s, and completed the route under 100 days at least four times. It has a record for running for 110 days at a stretch. It is the centrepiece of the museum since 1957 at its present mooring on the in the western harbour of Mariehamn, after sailing for over 70 years. Many cabinets in the museum display curios of artifacts collected by the sailors from different lands; some of them are piranhas and sharks’ jaws, shells and corals. A unique display is the pirate's flag which is one of its kind in the world.
Renovation
The museum is now under complete renovation and hence has been closed for visitors till the summer of 2011 by which time the additions and refurbishments are expected to be completed. The renovation envisages doubling the museum space with a new set of exhibits with an auditorium and a library wings. Exhibits would also cover a complete ship-owner office, a new captain lounge from a steamship, a steam engine, lighthouse prisms and artefacts. During the renovation, the museum is organising mobile exhibitions in Åland and also in Sweden and Finland.Further reading
- Kåhre, GeorgGeorg KåhreGeorge Kåhre was a teacher and author on the Åland Islands, Finland. He wrote poetry and prose, as well as factual books.Kåhre debuted in 1928 with the poetry anthology Staden med de tusen lindarna, released under the pseudonym Stefan Sylwander. He would use this pseudonym until 1933, when his...
(1978). The Last Tall Ships: Gustav Erikson and the Åland Sailing Fleets 1872–1947. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-134-3