Exhibitions
Kotkaniemi is a home museum that introduces the life of P. E. and Ellen Svinhufvud and the everyday life at the Kotkaniemi estate in Luumäki. The rooms of the home museum have been restored to the era of the Svinhufvuds and contain original furniture and items. In addition, there is a room for changing exhibitions which provide in-depth information on various topics.
The permanent exhibition
The permanent exhibition of Kotkaniemi consists of six home museum rooms that have been restored to their original look during the era of P. E. and Ellen Svinhufvud in the 1920s and 1930s. In addition, one of the upstairs rooms has been furnished to introduce the era when Kotkaniemi served as a boarding house. In the museum, visitors will be able to sense the atmosphere of the Kotkaniemi estate and the life in the days long gone by. In Mr. Svinhufvud’s study, the visitor can almost see the president immersed in his work or leisure time activities in the evenings. The magnificent grand hall was excellently suited to social receptions and for entertaining guests, whilst the topical issues of the era were discussed animatedly in the dining room. And where did Mrs. Svinhuvfud and housekeeper Alma Kottelin retire after the day’s chores were done to relax and work on their handicrafts?
2024–2025: 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?