Arktikum - Arctic Museum

Arktikum – Museum and Arctic Science Center in Rovaniemi offers knowledge and insights into the world of nature, people, climate and culture above the Arctic Circle in Finland.

The museum exhibitions include Northern Ways, which tells about Lappish life, history and culture in three regions: Rovaniemi, Southern Lapland and Northern Lapland. Exhibition on Northern Lapland continues with Sami costumes, handicrafts and joik (pictures below text).

The Arctic in Change exhibition in Science Center takes you to the Arctic nature and portrays the indigenous peoples in the changing world. At the northern lights theatre you can feel the cold and watch an animated story of the Finnish firefox (above) and the Inuits’ heavenly football with a walrus’ scull.

Temporary exhibitions include what is life like in the Arctic region; pictures, fairy tales, stories, facts portraying the Lappish history in its various forms.

                                             Bering Sea Inuit Kayak

 

 

 

Sami People of Finland

Rovaniemi is situated in northern Finland, the region known as Lapland. The city is the capital of Finnish Lapland. For hundreds of years it was famous for exporting furs and salmon to the world's rich and powerful. Unfortunately, the town was totally destroyed during World War II. The new town was designed by Alvar Aalto in the shape of reindeer antlers.

The indigenous people - Sami - of the Lapland offer an exceptional experience, which guarantees you a true Finnish cultural experience. Traditionally, the Sami have pursued a variety of livelihoods, including coastal fishing, fur trapping, and sheep herding. Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding. Currently about 10% of the Sami are connected to reindeer herding, providing them with meat, fur, and transportation.

In Rovaniemi, the street of Koskikatu leads to the Kemijoki River, where at the river bank a Lapland Safaris Group is located, offering excursions, some are for groups only.

During the summer, you can take a longboat up the stream to one of the reindeer farms, where a host with a great sense of humor and his sister will welcome you. The experience includes Sami shaman practice, reindeer feeding, lasso lessons, and lots of laughs (pictures below). (Group excursion only).

During the winter time, Reindeer safari offers transportation by car to a reindeer farm to try reindeer sleighing. More info at http://www.laplandsafaris.com/en/

Another option, from the same street, but a block away from the river is Safartica. More info at http://www.safartica.com/en