Sámi Museum Siida selected as the European Museum of the Year!

The European Museum of the Year award was presented today on May 4th in Portimão, Portugal, at the EMYA conference organized by the European Museum Forum.

Sámi Museum would like to thank the EMYA jury, the European Museum Forum, the city of Portimão, and ICOM Finland for this award and the opportunity to participate in the 2024 EMYA conference.

We are very pleased that the renewal of Siida and our diverse work for Sámi cultural heritage has been recognized throughout Europe.

“Sámi Museum Siida, as an indigenous museum, is primarily for the Sámi people themselves. But we are extremely pleased to see how our Sámi story resonates with the entire European museum community and people around the world,” said museum director Taina Pieski in her acceptance speech.

This award belongs to the entire Sámi community, its elders who have supported our work with their knowledge and skills, and the entire staff of the Sámi Museum for their heartfelt efforts. In Siida’s new main exhibition, the Sámi themselves tell their own story. Over 300 members of the Sámi community participated in the preparation of the exhibition on Sámi culture.

We want to thank also our ancestors for their strength, love and support.

We hope that this award gives us strength to continue our important repatriation work for our community. For this work, we need the support of the entire European museum community so that the artifacts of our ancestors return home to Sápmi.

We want to extend our warm congratulations for all the museums awarded at EMYA2024!

Giitu! Takkâ! Späʹsseb! Thank you!

More information: Museum director Taina Pieski, taina.pieski(at)samimuseum.fi, +358 50 5351574

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/siidainari/albums/72177720316701063/

Press release from the European Museum forum here.