new exhibition

The Polman Legacy

Step back in time to the 17th century in an immersive exhibition that explores the lives and legacy of a Swedish noble family during the Swedish Empire in a digital narrative of stories, artefacts, and 360° virtual tours.

Scroll Down
Portrait of Jurgen Polman

About Polmanarkivet

Where genealogy, history, & curation converge

Polman + arkivet = The Polman Archive, the leading digital repository for the Polman, Påhlman, & von Pohlmann family, with an extensive archive of digital collections, interactive exhibits, and research material. We believe every family has stories deserving of an archive.

Collections

Our collection currently contains family and cultural objects dating from the 16th century to today. These include over 100 items, including our physical collections and a range of curated objects from cultural institutions worldwide.

Explore all collections

Browse all eight collections with hundreds of objects and journey back to the height of the Swedish Empire. 

family history

A family legacy spanning more than six centuries

Explore the fascinating family history of the Polman, Påhlman, and von Pohlmann family as we journey through the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages, the height of the Swedish Empire in the 17th century, and the Livonian and Estonian governorates of imperial Russia in the 18th century.

Photo: Artist unknown, Christina Elisabet Renner, 1743, oil on canvas. Image courtesy of Kulturparken Småland.

Early 1500s

The earliest known ancestors found in the Holy Roman Empire in present-day Germany.

1600

The Patriarch, Jürgen Polman, enters the service of Duke Karl of Södermanland, future sovereign of Sweden.

1650

Johan and his brother Gustaf are knighted at Stockholm Castle by Queen Kristina with the name Påhlman.

Manuscript from 17th century

Research

Unlocking the past through research & dissemination

Genealogical and artefact research is a vital part of Polmanarkivet’s activities because it gives us a better understanding of the family history and the context in which they lived. We hope to create an even fuller picture of the Polman past, with the collections as its focal point.

Chronicle

Support us

Become a patron or volunteer. Contribute an item to grow the collection. Or donate to help keep the lights on. Find out how you can support Polmanarkivet.

Contributions by

Kulturparken Smaland logo
Lansstyrelsen Kronoberg
Skokloster slott logo
Rahvusarhiiv logo
Riddarhuset logo