Siida - The Sámi Museum and Nature Centre

Siida provides information on the cycle of the seasons in Lapland and how nature and Sámi culture have adapted to the extreme conditions.

Opening Hours in 2010

1.1. - 31.5.
Tue - Sun 10 am - 5 pm,
Mon closed
1.6. - 19.9.
Mon - Sun 9 am - 8 pm
20.9. - 31.12.
Tue - Sun 10 am - 5 pm,
Mon closed

Exceptions:
At Christmas 24. - 25.12. closed

Entrance

There is no entrance fee to the entrance hall and Sarrit Restaurant.
• There is an entrance fee for our exhibition space, which includes our permanent and changing exhibitions, outdoor museum and auditorium.
  Adults 8 e, children (7 - 17 years) 4 e, no charge for children under 7
  Students and pensioners 6,5 e
  Family ticket 16 e (includes 2 adults and children under 18)
  Group ticket (minimum of 10 people) 6,5 e per person
  Year ticket 15 e, children 10 e
  • Entrance for Free 6.2.2010 (Sámi National Day) and 18.5.2010 (International Museum Day)

Contact Information

Address: Nature Centre Siida, Inarintie 46, FI-99870 Inari, Finland
Tel. int. +358 205 64 7740
Fax: +358 205 64 7750
E-mail: siida(at)metsa.fi

The Nature Centre is managed by Metsähallitus. On the same premises there is also a Sámi Museum, which Siida is run in co-operation with.

Directions

By Car

Siida is located by the northern Finnish Lapland main roads in the village of Inari. The Nature Centre is 38 km from Ivalo, 340 km from Rovaniemi, 126 km from Utsjoki and 195 km from Kittilä.

By Public Transportation

• Coaches to Inari travel from Rovaniemi, Lemmenjoki, Näätämö and Karigasniemi.
Timetables (www.matkahuolto.fi).
• The closest
airport (www.finavia.fi) is in Ivalo.
• The closest railway station is in Rovaniemi. Timetables (www.vr.fi).

Services

• A travellers’ and hikers’ guidance point. Up-to-date information on, for example,
Inari Hiking Area and Kevo Nature Reserve.
• Fishing, hunting and off-road vehicle permits etc.
• Inari municipality's tourist information, tel.int. +358 40 168 9668, e-mail tourist.info(at)inari.fi. Information on local tourism enterprises and their services, no tax free refund services.
• Siida Shop with a wide assortment of maps on northern Finnish Lapland, literature on nature and the Sámi and high-quality souvenirs and gifts.
• Keys and reservations for
Wild North (www.villipohjola.fi) rental cabins.
• Guided tours for groups in Finnish, Sámi, Swedish, English, German, Italian, Russian and French. We charge for
tours (www.siida.fi) and they should be reserved in advance.
• Public events, the Skábmagovat Festival during the winter darkness in late January.
• An auditorium, which seats 80 people can be rented for conference use. Possibility for a video conference.
• Two conference rooms, which each seat 10 people can be rented.
• A warm 'Gámme', which seats 25, and in winter the Revontuli (Northern Lights) Theatre can be reserved for groups.
• Slide-shows and videos in different languages.
• Restaurant Sarrit, which seats 40 diners, also has a catering service.

Events

There are several cultural history exhibitions, nature and art showings and culture and nature- themed events at Siida annually. There are planned hikes, seminars and lectures. Siida has around ten changing exhibitions annually.

Out of the many events at Siida, the Skábmagovat Festival is the main one. It is divided into two individual events. Camera Borealis is a nature photography and nature documentary event. And Skábmagovat is an indigenous people’s film and TV production festival.

• Siida’s event calendar (www.siida.fi)

Permanent Exhibition

Siida has culturally ecological exhibits, which tell about extreme northern conditions and how the indigenous Sámi have adapted to them. The introductory exhibit shows how the area’s landscape and culture have evolved from the Ice Age to the present. The main exhibition displays the typical features of life in the north and how the seasons effect life. Read more about the exhibition on the Siida website (www.siida.fi).

Auditorium and AV Presentations

• Martti Rikkonen, a well known nature photographer, has shot a beautiful series of photographs of the Northern Lights. A 12-minute multimedia presentation called Aurora Borealis has been compiled of these.

Oh Juutua! -Nature Trail

The nature trail runs along-side the southern shore of the River Juutuanjoki for 5 km from Inari to Haapaniva. The trail has spots where visitors can learn about the history of the river shore.

Restaurant Sarrit

• On the top floor of Siida.
• Reindeer, fish and game dishes and cafe services.
• Can be reserved for events.
• The restaurant is managed by an entrepreneur:
  • Telephone and fax: +358 16 661 662
  • E-mail: ravintola@sarrit.inet.fi

Services for School Groups

• Read more about the service on the Siida (www.siida.fi) website.

Services for the Disabled

All parts of Siida are accessible by wheelchair. The auditorium however at present fits only one at a time. Siida has one wheelchair, which customers can borrow. The building has a toilet for the disabled. The outdoor museum is accessible by wheelchair during the summer, if assisted.

Read more about our service guarantee.