On 26 April 2012 Åland’s Maritime Museum opened its doors again. In addition to there being twice as much space for exhibitions, there is now an auditorium, a library, study areas, research rooms, a model workshop and a room solely for children.
Since the museum closed in the autumn of 2009 there has been frantic activity going on behind the scenes. Now, a few days from the reopening, Hanna Hagmark Cooper, chief executive at the Maritime Museum, tells us a bit about the new museum.
Plenty of new features for children
There is much that is new in the museum and above all there are plenty of new features for children. Hanna Hagmark Cooper talks about the museum’s new interactive stations.
“You can have a go at climbing up a mast and building a boarding ladder, loading a general cargo vessel, trying out life jackets in a life raft or embarking on the trick of docking at a landing stage in our ship simulator. Anyone wanting to get into karaoke on a passenger ship will find a karaoke machine with Finnish tango and Swedish dance band music on it. There are seats and extra information all around the museum.”
Well-known pirate flag
But not everything is new. Viktor Andersson’s model ship is still there and the museum’s unique pirate flag has come back, newly restored and in a specially built display case. Hanna Hagmark Cooper explains.
“The flag is one of two pirate flags in the world that are certified as being proper pirate flags. Originally it came from North Africa and the Mediterranean pirates who tormented shipping in the 18th century.
The same ticket for the Maritime Museum and the Pommern
The famous museum ship Pommern is located next to the Maritime Museum. From 26 April tickets to the Maritime Museum will also be valid for the Pommern. That’s useful for anyone wanting to split up their visits.
“If you don’t have time to get to both museums on the same day, you can use the ticket on another day,” is Hanna’s tip.
The Maritime Museum’s opening times in 2012:
26 April - 31 August: daily from 10 am to 5 pm
1 September - 31 December: daily from 11 am to 4 pm
The Museum Ship Pommern’s opening times in 2012:
1 May - 31 August: daily from 10 am to 5 pm
1 - 30 September: daily from 11 am to 4 pm
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