Svinhufvud af Qvalstad – the stages of a noble family

P. E. and Ellen Svinhufvud belonged to an old noble family from Sweden. In 2024, the Svinhufvud af Qvalstad family will celebrate 450 years of nobility. The centuries-long family history contains many stages and destinies, which this exhibition sheds light on.

The exhibition takes the visitor through the centuries from the 1500s to the early 1900s; from the time when Finland was part of the Swedish Empire, to the 19th-century Russian rule of the Grand Duchy of Finland and on to the early days of independent Finland. The Svinhufvud family as an example of a noble family is intertwined in all these periods. The members of the family lived with the changes of the times, actively involved in serving society.

As the 20th century approached, society underwent major changes, and these can be seen to be reflected in the lives of P. E. and Ellen Svinhufvud. What was the meaning of nobility in their lives, what was its impact, and how did social changes affect the Svinhufvuds, their roles and, on the other hand, how P. E. Svinhufvud was building the young republic?