This is a short overview of our archival collections. We currently don't have a digital catalogue available. You can find a more detailed description of our archival collections on our web pages in Swedish.
The Provincial Archives of Åland houses the records of the Government of Åland, its various departments, agencies, commissions and courts, as well as the records of the municipalities and parishes on Åland that are of enduring value to the institutions and citizens of the province. We also hold a wide selection of private records from various sources considered to be of historical and cultural significance.
The Government of Åland
The Provincial Archives of Åland is responsible for the safekeeping of the records of the Government of Åland and its various departments, offices and units, as well as other administrative bodies that operate under the Government of Åland. The authorities keep their records in their own custody until a specific time period has passed, and only then are they transferred to the Provincial Archives of Åland.
The Provincial Archives of Åland also keeps the older records of the Parliament of Åland (Ålands lagting).
Municipal archives
All the municipalities of Åland have transferred their older records to the Provincial Archives of Åland. In other words, the records of Brändö, Eckerö, Finström, Föglö, Geta, Hammarland, Jomala, Kumlinge, Kökar, Lemland, Lumparland, Saltvik, Sottunga, Sund, Vårdö and the City of Mariehamn are being kept at the Provincial Archives of Åland. The records span the time from when the municipalities were formed up until the 2000’s.
Parish archives
Out of the 16 parishes on Åland no less than 14 have deposited the majority of their records at the Provincial Archives of Åland. Only the records of the parishes of Eckerö and Mariehamn are not deposited here in their entirety. We do hold copies of the civil registries of all the parishes of Åland either on microfilm or in paper form, although the chronological scope of the records varies.
Finnish state archives
The Provincial Archives of Åland functions as the archives authority for those Finnish state authorities that operate on Åland. We are the keepers of the historical archives of the District Court of Åland, the Town Court and Body of Borough Administrators of the Town of Mariehamn, the Local Inspector of Taxes, the Enforcement Service, the County Administrative Board, the pilot stations and the Customs Department among others.
Private archives
Clubs and associations, businesses, private individuals, farms and village communities all create and collect documents. These private archives form an indispensable part of our cultural heritage. There is an increasing demand for documents from different businesses and associations among the researchers of local history and genealogy. With these private archives we will preserve a richer image of our times for the future generations.