The archipelago fleet was originally established to protect Sweden against Russia. Housed within the protective walls of Viapori, the fleet commands a central role at the exhibition at the Suomenlinna Museum. The exhibition also presents the work and activities of Fredrik Henrik af Chapman, founder of the Viapori shipyard.
On display are miniature ship models, including one of the minelayer Pohjanmaa, as well as ship drawings, photographs and weapons. The building serving as the venue is also a part of the exhibition. Designed as a warehouse by Fredrik Henrik af Chapman, it was used to store vessel equipment during the winter months.
The exhibition also has a section on maritime archaeology, with illustrative examples of what modern archaeological methods have been able to uncover about the destroyed archipelago fleet.

The exhibitions to open at the National Archivers of Finland and the Suomenlinna Centre will show original material related to the history of Viapori–Suomenlinna. The documents and artefacts at the exhibitions will mainly come from the collections of the National Archives, and Swedish and Russian museums and archives. A broad range of interesting exhibits to read and see will be on display about the royal navy, the ship building tradition, naval warfare, royalties, vessels, influential Russian families, and life next to the capital, not forgetting love and romance. The exhibitions will be open until 30 September 2022.

Exhibitions complemented by events and a publication

In addition to the exhibitions, there will also be various events and an anniversary publication. The anniversary weekend organised by the Ehrensvärd Society between 20 and 22 August 2021 will feature visits by a Finnish and Swedish naval vessel to Suomenlinna. Other key events include the 300th anniversary of the birth of Admiral Fredrik Henrik af Chapman (9 September 2021), a shipbuilder who worked in Suomenlinna, and the 500th anniversary of the Swedish Navy (7 June 2022). All events will be arranged following valid coronavirus restrictions. An updated event calendar will be published on the exhibition’s website in April.

The “Viapori–Suomenlinna – Kolmen valtakunnan linnoitus 1748–2021” (Viapori–Suomenlinna – A fortress of three nations 1748–2021) article published by the Ehrensvärd Society and the National Archives presents the history of the fortress from the 1740s to the modern age. The publication has been edited by Jussi Nuorteva, director general of the National Archives, and Päivi Happonen, director of research. Featuring many illustrations, the publication will be issued in Finnish and Swedish on the opening day of the exhibitions. The aim is also to issue an English and Russian edition during 2022 at the latest.

More information https://kolmenvaltakunnanlinnoitus.arkisto.fi/?lang=en