Saamelaismuseo Siida

About the museum

The Saamelaismuseo (Sámi Museum) was founded in Inari in 1959 on the initiative of Samii Litto – Saamelaisten yhdistys ry (Sámi association). The first buildings were moved to the open-air museum area in 1960, and the museum opened to the public in summer 1963. Until 1997 it operated as a summer-only home-district and open-air museum. In 1986 responsibility for the museum’s operations was taken over by the Saamelaismuseosäätiö (Sámi Museum Foundation).

The present Siida building opened in 1998 as a shared building for the Saamelaismuseo and the Pohjois-Lapin luontokeskus (Northern Lapland Nature Centre); it was designed by Professor Juhani Pallasmaa. The museum gained national specialist museum status in 1999 and national responsible museum status in 2020. From the beginning of July 2025 the whole exhibition activity was transferred to the Saamelaismuseo, when Metsähallitus (Finnish Forest and Park Service) ended the operations of the Ylä-Lapin luontokeskus (Upper Lapland Nature Centre).

The open-air museum covers seven hectares and an approximately 800-metre path, along which there are almost 50 sites: log buildings, homes and lean-tos, peat huts, storehouses and fishing and hunting structures, boats and sledges. The area also has archaeological remains 6,000–2,000 years old, which are protected under the Antiquities Act.

Highlights

• Basic exhibition Enâmeh láá mii párnááh (These Lands Are Our Children)
• Open-air museum with almost 50 sites
• Exhibition of the Skolt heritage house (Kolttien perinnetalo)
• Siida Shop and the Sarrit restaurant

Permanent exhibitions

• Enâmeh láá mii párnááh – Nämä maat ovat lapsiamme – The basic exhibition of the Saamelaismuseo and Metsähallitus interprets the landscape through the concept of the Sámi cultural environment and shows how nature and culture belong together.
• Ulkomuseo – The open-air museum presents Sámi building heritage and traditional livelihoods.

Founded

1959

Operated by

Saamelaismuseo

Admission & discounts

The Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) is accepted. Holders of an MLL membership card receive a 20% discount on adult, school and family tickets. Pupils and upper secondary students of the municipality of Inari always enter free of charge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Siida building (exhibitions, customer service, shop and restaurant) is step-free, but the open-air museum is not. Guide dogs, hearing dogs, assistance dogs and support dogs are welcome in Siida and in the open-air museum. Other pets may not come into the exhibitions or the open-air museum.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Siida is located in the village of Inari beside the E4 road, north of the Juutuanjoki bridge. There are two electric car charging points (Plugit) in the front yard.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Restaurant Sarrit is a café-restaurant in the museum building. Siida Shop sells museum products and has an online shop at siida.fi/museokauppa.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit