The museum has a collection of over 16000 artifacts, stretching to around 170 years of camera and photography history. The distinguishing feature of the Åland Photographic Museum is the variation of the collection. The exhibitions include cameras, accessories, lenses, flashes, tripods, unused film, catalogues and even historical commercial products.
FILM-, TV- AND AUDIO EQUIPMENT
Motion pictures where first produced during the end of the 19th century and here at Åland Photographic Museum exists a number of historic 8-, 16- and 35- millimetres movie cameras and projectors. A sorted compilation ranging from early amateur cameras to cinema projectors and studio equipment.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
The museum’s oldest objects are dated from the second half of the 19th century, extending to contemporary digital cameras. Åland Photographic Museum consists of early Hasselblad, Leica, Kodak, Rolliflex cameras and so forth. In 2018, the largest newspaper in Scandinavia, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, donated their entire museum collection to Åland Photographic Museum. One of the most precious objects in museums collection is the camera, which explorer Fritiof Nansen used, in his artic expedition “Fram” in 1893-1896.
DARKROOM
Before the digital revolution photographs were developed by chemical processes. In the museum there is on display darkroom equipment, which were used from the 1870’s and forward, a complete collection with the necessary chemicals, paper, film, lighting and magnifying devices. In addition, there are tools used for hand-colouring, retouching and enhancing photographs.
THE MARKSTRÖM'S STORE
In the museum is the original interior of the Markström’s store in Mariehamn from the 1940s rebuilt. In the store are many of the products which were sold during the 20th century, many of which are still preserved, unopened and in their original packings. In addition, there is a contemporary photo studio on display, typical to the era.