Releases

Pielpajärvi Church is one of the oldest built heritage sites in northern Finland and an internationally significant monument of wooden architecture. On Tuesday, 2 December 2025, the Sámi Museum Siida will publish the first extensive, trilingual research publication dedicated to Pielpajärvi Church. The book is edited by Professor Panu Savolainen, Chair of Architectural History at Aalto University, and authored by several experts in architectural history, cultural heritage studies and art history. The publication brings together the latest research findings and previously unpublished visual material.

Opening at Kiasma on 27 March 2026, We Who Remain is a major joint exhibition organised by the Sámi Museum Siida and Kiasma. It presents contemporary art by and about the Sámi community across the Sápmi territories of Finland, Sweden, and Norway. A curated selection will be shown at Siida in Inari starting from October 2026.

September 10 and 12, 2025, will be historic days for Sámi museums and Sámi culture field: A decorative antler spoon from the Southern Sámi region will be returned from the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland, to Saemien Sijte – the Southern Sámi museum and cultural center in Snåsa, Norway. This is the first return between two Sámi museums.

Sámi Museum Siida is carrying out a community-based project to explore how best to make returned Sámi objects part of living Sámi culture. The grant continues the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s long-standing support for the Sámi culture and languages.

The University of Lapland, the Sámi Education Institute and Sámi museum Siida have signed a new cooperation agreement that aims to deepen their long-lasting partnership, as well as strengthen the education, research and development of the Sámi region.

Joint Press Release by the Sámi Museum Siida and Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland

The Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida achieved historic visitor numbers in 2024. According to statistics, Siida’s events and exhibitions attracted over 82,000 visitors, more than 20 percent higher than the previous record of 68,000 set in 2023. July was especially busy, with a record-breaking 14,000 monthly exhibition visitors.

This week, the Sámi Museum Siida is hosting a delegation from Upopoy, the National Ainu Museum and Park, in Hokkaido, Japan. During the visit, the Ainu Culture Foundation and the Sámi Museum are renewing their partnership agreement, which aims to promote cultural collaboration between Indigenous peoples, including through museum exhibitions and staff exchanges.

The Chairperson of the Sámi Museum Foundation Veikko Feodoroff, Museum Director Taina Máret Pieski and the Mayor of the Inari municipality Tommi Kasurinen hosted the presidential visit. Also, the Sámi Museum’s curators Marjo-Riitta Rantamäki and Konsta Verta participated in the occasion.

The Museum of the Year 2024 award was presented today, May 23, at the Museum Award Gala organized by the Finnish Museums Association and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Jyväskylä.