The Finnish Museum of Photography participated in the Nordic contemporary documentation project “Connecting and Collecting: Developing participatory methods to collect social digital photography in Nordic archives and museums,” which explored collaborative approaches to preserving digital photographic collections in museums and photo archives. Other participating institutions included the Aalborg City Archives, the Gothenburg Natural History Museum, the Stockholm County Museum, and the Västernorrlands Museum.
This project is continuation of a collaboration that began with the Collecting Social Photo project, which studied visual cultures on social media from 2017 to 2020. At that time, the Connect to Collect online platform was created to facilitate the collection and storage of digital photos from the public. This platform is now being further developed, particularly with regard to the co-curation of photographs.
Digital photos and their sharing are today’s way of viewing the world and constructing identity. This creates cultural heritage that serves as a record of life and society from the perspective of individuals and communities. This project has reached communities whose cultural heritage might otherwise remain undocumented. The documentation has been planned and carried out from the outset in collaboration with the communities. The goal is to promote social sustainability and equality by focusing on issues such as identities, sustainable consumption, and climate anxiety.
Connecting and Collecting -project partners at the Finnish Museum of Photography in September 2025. Photo: Virve Laustela
All organizations involved in the project used the same online platform to store images, but the other case study methods varied depending on the wishes and needs of the partner organizations. Project partners met regularly to analyze the methods, challenges, and results of their case studies, learning from each other’s experiences. The methods and results were shared on the project blog, social media channels, and the project partners’ own websites. Finally, in the spring of 2026, a webinar was held to present the project report and its recommendations.
Download the report here: connect-to-collect-raportti.pdf
Case Study of the Finnish Museum of Photography: The Mixed Archive – The Many Faces of Finnishness
The museum’s goal is to increase the diversity of its collections and make them more relevant to all Finns, regardless of their background. The Mixed Finns community served as a partner in the case study, and three workshops were planned and organized in collaboration with them. These workshops focused on the museum’s role in society, the nature of the collection, and the challenges of donating personal photographs. Discussions also arose about the photographs themselves and how shared family photos can serve as a multidimensional tool for peer support. The project resulted in the Mixed Archive, a collection enriched with contextual information, which is hoped to mark the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the museum and the community.
A user named Pilvi submitted the photo "Birthday Cake," which captures a scene from their everyday life in Finland. Photo: Valo Vaeltaja
A user named Sonya donated a self-portrait from a photography project she did during her studies, in which she explored Afro hair, related beauty ideals, and microaggressions. Photo: Sonya and Säde Rinne
The project was funded by the Nordic Cultur Fund.
