Olle Strömberg
Olle Strömberg is a well known profile within the photographic circles on the Aland Islands as well as, internationally. Olle’s deep interest for photography emanates already from a very young age. In 1957 he received on his tenth birthday his first camera, from his parents, and thus his interest was forever evoked. Thereafter, his interest developed from photography unto cultivating an interest for photography techniques and with time it evolved into collecting photographic equipment. Olle’s film interest however, was arisen in 1959, on his twelfth birthday when he received his first 8 millimetre film camera.
Benita Strömberg
Benita Strömberg and her interest for photography developed through her marriage with Olle. However, Benita has a vast professional experience working for museums as a specialist in cataloguing, identifying and archiving objects, which has been of great value when establishing the museum. In fact, it was due to Benita that the museum was established in 2001. Benita gave Olle an ultimatum: ‘Either you stop collecting or you exhibit your collection for the public’, and that is how the museum was founded.
In the mid-1950’s Olle studied the art of photography and photographic technique, under the supervision of Sven Rosengren and Ove Gustavssson, in the area of Hässleholm in Sweden, and in the 1960’s Olle began to collect photographic equipment more systematically and zealously. With time, the collection, encompassed both: cameras, darkroom equipment, TV, - sound,
and recording equipment. The collection is today preserved at Åland Photographic Museum and entails more than 16000 objects.
Åland Photographic Museum originated at the former Kastelhom’s cooperative trade premises on June 9th 2001. The museum was inaugurated by Åland’s minister of culture: Gun Carlsson and photographer Sven Rosengren from Sweden.
Together with his wife, Benita Strömberg, Olle established the museum and parts of the collection was displayed to the public and thus fulfilling a long awaited dream. In the fall of 2007 the museum was translocated to the old craftsmanship school in Kastelholm, which Olle and Benita purchased, and in 2013 the museum was again relocated and instituted in the current premises in Pålsböle. The museum was officially re-opened on May 19th 2014 with a staggering surface area of almost 1000 square meters.
What distinguishes the museum is the diverse collection that is represented. The museum presents the historical development of the photographic equipment and exhibits almost all elements which are crucial in the process of filming, photographing, developing, processing, and preserving photographs and film. Moreover, Åland Photographic Museum is one of the few places in Europe where the focus is to preserve and present the historic development from the premiere time a photograph was taken, in 1830, until the development of the current digital age. The collection is well renowned by the local and international public and highly appreciated for its cultural value and heritage.
Since the onset of the establishment of the museum in 2001, it has been managed by its founders Olle and Benita Strömberg. However, in 2020 Åland Photographic Museum was converged into a foundation with the aim of continuing the legacy of Olle and Benita Strömberg.
Rasmus Olin, was appointed in February 2023 as the museum curator of Åland Photographic Museum. He has a professional experience in radio, television and news.