The Sámi Museum in Inari was established in the 1960s as an outdoor museum. The idea for a building that meets with the requirements for modern museum activities came about at the beginning of the 1980s. Around that same time, Metsähallitus had started to plan a nature centre for Lemmenjoki. The Sámi Museum working group was appointed in 1987, and it drew up a plan for initiating a joint construction project for the Sámi Museum and nature centre. Siida’s main building designed by architect Juhani Pallasmaa was completed in 1997 and it opened its doors to visitors in April 1998. In 2025 Metsähallitus decided to sell exhibitions to the Sámi Museum, thus endind the Nothern Lapland Nature Centre.
In addition to the Sámi Museum the Siida building houses the Siida Shop, Metsähallitus Inari Customer Service point and hiking guidance and Restaurant Sarrit. Today, we are one of Northern Lapland’s most popular destinations.