In 1890, at the age of 18, Tyra Ahlström started studies at the drawing school of the Finnish Art Society at Ateneum. In 1893, Axel Gallén became Tyra’s art teacher (later, Akseli Gallen-Kallela). The artist was already part of the Ahlström’s circle of friends. He was a famillar sight at Noormarkku Works in the late 19th century as was Elin Danielson-Gambogi, who was born in Noormarkku. Art and culture and their patronage were integral parts of the life of the Ahlströms. Already since the 1870s, Tyra’s father Antti Ahlström had supported financially the Finnish Theatre and the Finnish Opera, along with Finnish authors and artists.

In the winter of 1895, Tyra Ahlström moved to Paris to study art for several years. As was customary at that time, she stayed in different pensions in varying conditions with other artists. She studied at several well-known academies, including the studios of the Italian Filippo Colarossi and the French Auguste Joseph Delécluse. In Paris, artists were allowed to paint a nude model and therefore men and women had their own studios. Many female artists from the Nordic countries sought to study at the Académie Colarossi.

Before Tyra moved to Paris, Finnish artists such as Elin Danielson-Gambogi and Helene Schjerfbeck, had featured among the academy’s students.
Académie Delécluse was popular among female artists from Britain and the US. Both studios were situated in Montparnasse, which would grow into the world’s most notable artistic centre in the early 20th century.

In the course of her career, Tyra painted numerous portraits, some of which Axel Gallén’s influence can be seen: the model seems to be lost in reverie. Later, Tyra gave up art altogether. Her husband Harald Borg criticised one of her paintings and Tyra took this so much to heart that she never picked up a paintbrush again.

According to Tyra Borg, she became interested in old objects in her early childhood. Her interest in silver began when she managed to buy some old Finnish silver goblets while she lived in Kauttua. When she realized there was no information available on goldsmiths working in different towns or the marks they used, Tyra began to research them herself. She was inspired by the articles written by the Swedish professor Upmark on Swedish silver.

In 1925, Tyra Borg began to collect information from court and church records, the state archive, correspondence between various people, estate inventory deeds and professional catalogues. She said that during the research, she visited every single town in Finland, 523 homes, 86 churches and 33 farmhouses. Compiling the material and writing the book took almost 11 years but finally, she could publish her 500-page book Guld- och Silversmeder i Finland 1373-1873 (Goldsmiths and silversmiths in Finland in 1373-1873). This book is still regarded as an important handbook in the field.

The work carried out by Tyra Borg received recognition.
In 1936, she was made an honorary member of the Finnish Goldsmiths’ Association and she was also granted the Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

In 1936, Tyra Borg bought a property that used to belong to the Lebells in Kristinankaupunki and had been bequeathed to the De Gamlas Hem association. Tyra donated the building to the Svenska Odlingens Vänner association and set up a foundation to manage the museum. Extensive repair and renovation work was carried out in the museum in 1936-1938. Tyra inspected all the items procured for the building herself to ensure that the museum’s basic idea would be realized. According to her ‘the Lebell’s Merchant’s House should be a historical museum that depicts the life of merchant families.The museum opened its doors in 1939 and it is open during the summer months.

Her literary work continued over the next decade with books on her family. In 1946, Tyra Borg wrote Vi sju syskon Ahlström (The seven Ahlström siblings). She called it a collection of miscellaneous notes. In the book, she talks about the way she sees her siblings and their characteristics and relates events from their youth. She also describes in great detail the furniture of Isotalo, which was built in 1881-1882, and offers advice to the future generations of the Ahlströms. One of these pieces of advice is that they should always bear in mind the responsibilities that come with wealth (richesse oblige).

Tyra Borg’s book Fyra köpmanssläkter: Anteckningar om släkter Lebell, Sjöberg, Holmström och Ahlström (Four merchant families: notes on the families Lebell, Sjöberg, Holmström and Ahlström) was published in 1947 A numbered series of 300 copies was printed and the revenue was donated to the Helsinki-based Blomsterfonden foundation. Tyra specifically wanted to channel the funds to the foundation’s Helena house built in Käpylä in Helsinki in 1940.

In the book, which is rich with anecdotes, Tyra Borg reminisces about her mother Eva Ahlström’s ancestral families: the Lebells, Sjöbergs and Holmströms. She also talks at length about Eva’s rich and full life. In the book, her father Anti Ahlström is depicted primarily from the perspective of a family member as Tyra felt that in his book Antti Ahlström: Hans lif och verksomhet (Antti Ahlström: His life and work), Juhani Aho gives a rich account of Anti’s life’s work. As sources for her book, Tyra used her family’s active correspondence with one another and her discussions with the directors of A. Ahlstrom Corporation.