What Sámi musea Siida does

Sámi Museum Siida (legal entity: Sámi Museum – Saamelaismuseosäätiö srl) is Finland's national museum responsible for Sámi culture and a regional museum for cultural environment tasks in the Sámi Homeland. Founded in 1959 by Sámi Litto as an outdoor museum and headquartered in Inari, Northern Lapland, the institution operates a 2,800 m² main building designed by architect Juhani Pallasmaa (opened 1998, renovated and expanded by 50% in 2020-2022), an 800-meter open-air museum trail with ~50 historic buildings representing three Sámi cultures, and a seasonal Skolt Sámi Heritage House in Sevettijärvi.

The museum runs a diversified revenue model built on ticket admissions (€7-36 depending on category), Siida Shop retail of traditional Sámi duodji handicrafts, Restaurant Sarrit food service, multilingual guided tours (€130-185/group), and facility rentals for events. Recurring government funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture and Inari Municipality underpins operations, supplemented by foundation grants (€700K in 2019 from Kone Foundation and Finnish Cultural Foundation; €850K in 2025 from Finnish Cultural Foundation for repatriation work). The museum achieved a record 83,506 exhibition and event visitors in 2025, with 61% international visitors from 87 countries in pre-pandemic 2019.

Core supporting infrastructure includes digital collections accessible via Finna, the Virtual Sápmi (VISA) 3D scanning pilot for artifact digitization, and a five-language digital presence (Finnish, English, Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi). The museum serves international tourists, domestic visitors, school groups, Sámi communities (inari, Skolt, and Northern Sámi), and academic researchers, with 18 permanent employees managing collections spanning approximately 10,000 years of habitation history. The 2025 institutional restructuring absorbed Metsähallitus's Northern Lapland Nature Centre exhibitions, consolidating Siida's operational scope.

Name

Sámi musea Siida

Legal name

Sámi Museum – Saamelaismuseosäätiö srl

Website

https://siida.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sámi Museum Siida is Finland's national museum for Sámi culture, operating a 2,800 m² exhibition building and open-air museum in Inari that serves international tourists, school groups, and Sámi communities. It generates revenue from admissions, retail, F&B, guided tours, facility rentals, and Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Museum

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI), Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Cultural heritage museum
• Indigenous cultural preservation
• Museum exhibition services
• Cultural environment consulting
• Visitor experience services

Headquarters

HQ city

Inari

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Admission fees from visitors to exhibitions and open-air museum. Ticket categories include adults, discounted rates, school children, family tickets, and annual passes.
2. Retail Operations (Siida Shop): Museum store selling traditional Sámi handicrafts (duodji), jewellery, literature, and souvenirs. Both physical storefront and online store.
3. Restaurant Sarrit: On-site cafe/restaurant serving northern cuisine with buffet lunch, snacks, and coffee. Catering for groups and events.
4. Guided Tours: Educational guided tours of exhibitions and open-air museum in multiple languages. Theme tours and school programs available.
5. Facility Rentals: Auditorium rental for conferences, seminars, and events. Lávvu tent rental for private events. Guard service fees for after-hours bookings.
6. Government Funding: Primary funding from Ministry of Education and Culture. Additional support from Inari Municipality and various foundation grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sámi Museum Siida operates as Finland's national museum of Sámi culture, presenting permanent and temporary exhibitions of Sámi cultural heritage in a 2,800 m² facility in Inari along with an open-air museum and a seasonal Skolt Sámi Heritage House. The museum earns revenue from admissions, guided tours, retail (Siida Shop), on-site restaurant (Restaurant Sarrit), event facility rentals, and cultural environment consulting services, supplemented by government grants from the Ministry of Education and Culture and Inari Municipality.

Product overview

Sámi Museum Siida is a national museum responsible for Sámi culture and a regional museum for cultural environment tasks in the Sámi Homeland. The institution operates as a unified museum experience centered on its main exhibition building in Inari, the Open-Air Museum showcasing traditional Sámi architecture, and the Skolt Sámi Heritage House in Sevettijärvi. The core product portfolio includes permanent exhibitions (main exhibition, open-air museum, Skolt Sámi Heritage House), rotating temporary exhibitions, and online digital exhibitions. Supporting visitor services include Siida Shop (retail), Restaurant Sarrit (catering), guided tours in multiple languages, educational programs, and event facilities rental. The museum also provides cultural environment expert services and manages extensive collections accessible digitally through Finna. Founded in 1959, the museum had 18 permanent employees as of 2025 and achieved record visitation of 83,506 visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Siida Shop: Museum shop offering authentic Sámi duodji (traditional handicrafts), jewelry, literature in multiple languages including Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, and Northern Sámi, and local artisan products.
• Restaurant Sarrit
• Skolt Sámi Heritage House (Nuortalaččaid Árbevierrodállu)

Products and services

• Main Exhibition (Päänäyttely) - Enâmeh láá mii párnááh Permanent exhibition titled 'Enâmeh láá mii párnááh – These lands are our children', co-produced with Metsähallitus, exploring the interaction between Sámi culture and northern nature through the Sámi concept of cultural environment. Located in the main Siida building in Inari and open to the public.
• Open-Air Museum (Ulkomuseo) Outdoor museum featuring an 800-meter trail shaped like a reindeer herder's lasso, showcasing nearly 50 historic buildings and structures representing the three Sámi cultures in Finland across approximately 10,000 years of human habitation history.
• Skolt Sámi Heritage House exhibition Exhibition at the Skolt Sámi Cultural Centre in Sevettijärvi showcasing Skolt Sámi history, authentic Koltta homestead, and outdoor museum area representing summer settlements from Suonikylä. Open seasonally (June-September) with free admission.
• Temporary Exhibitions (Vaihtuvat näyttelyt) Rotating temporary exhibitions featuring diverse Sámi cultural themes, including contemporary Sámi video game perspectives, Arctic climate change, and historical Inari photography.
• Online Exhibitions (Verkkonäyttelyt) Digital exhibitions including 'Anarâš – The Inari Sámi', 'Sää'mjie'llem – The Skolt Sámi', and 'Eatnanšaddu' (wild plants database) available in multiple languages.
• Siida Shop Museum store offering authentic duodji (traditional Sámi handicrafts), jewellery, literature in multiple languages including three Sámi languages (Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, Northern Sámi), and locally sourced products. Operates both as a physical storefront in Inari and as an online shop with email order support.
• Restaurant Sarrit On-site cafe and restaurant at Siida serving northern cuisine with locally sourced ingredients, buffet lunch, snacks, coffee, and tailored dining services for groups and events. Includes catering services for events.
• Event Facility Rental Rental facilities including a 72-seat auditorium with AV equipment, traditional lávvu tent in the open-air museum, and common areas for conferences, seminars, and private events. Guard service fees apply for after-hours bookings. Tiered pricing from €120 (0-2 hours) to €250 (6-8 hours).
• Guided Tours (Opastukset) Professional guided tours of exhibitions and open-air museum available in multiple languages (Finnish, English, French, Russian, Spanish, Northern Sámi), including theme tours such as 'Bures boahtin' on Sámi language and culture. Exhibition tour: €130/group Mon-Sat, €165/group Sundays/holidays. Theme tour: €185/group (1h 45min). Max 25 people.
• Cultural Environment Services Expert services managing archaeological and built cultural heritage in the Sámi Homeland, including statement provision, ancient monument protection, and heritage building consultation. Provided as part of the museum's regional mandate for cultural environment tasks.
• Museum Collections (Museokokoelmat) National collection management for Sámi cultural heritage including artefacts, photographs, art, buildings, and archival materials, with digital access via Finna information service and 3D models published on Sketchfab.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83,506 annual visitors in 2025 (record year)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, notable, core, major and minor.

• Kiasma (Museum of Modern Art)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2025Joint exhibition 'We Who Remain' presenting contemporary Sámi art across Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Opens at Kiasma March 2026, with selected works at Siida from October 2026.
• Saemien Sijte (Southern Sámi Museum, Norway)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025First return of antler spoon from Southern Sámi region - historic repatriation between two Sámi museums in September 2025.
• University of LaplandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025New cooperation agreement to deepen long-lasting partnership and strengthen education, research, and development in the Sámi region.
• Sámi Education InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Signatory to cooperation agreement with University of Lapland and Siida for education, research, and regional development.
• Metsähallitus (Parks & Wildlife Finland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreviously joint operator of Siida with Northern Lapland Nature Centre. In 2025, exhibitions transferred to Sámi Museum administration. Customer service point remains at Siida.
• Sámi Museums in Nordic Countries and RussiacoreOthersPartner museums that store Sámi culture in other Nordic countries and Russia. Also member of World Indigenous Peoples Museum Network.
• Senate Properties (Senaatti-kiinteistöt)coreOthersOwner of Siida building. Made investment decision for €3,000 m² extension project in 2019. Main tenant is Sámi Museum Foundation.
• Harri Koskinen / Teollisuuden Ystävät OymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibition architect for Siida's permanent exhibition renewal (2022). Previously designed Tapio Wirkkala and Oiva Toikka exhibitions.
• Architects Soini & Horto OymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitectural design firm for Siida extension project (2020-2022). Responsible for building renovation and expansion design.
• Aurora VillageminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTourism company offering package tours from Ivalo to Siida.
• Hotel Ivalo/Club NordminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel offering package tours from Ivalo to Siida.
• Star Arctic HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel offering package tours from Saariselkä to Siida.
• Saaga TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel company offering package tours from Rovaniemi to Siida.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seurasaari Open-Air Museum: Finland's leading open-air museum on an island in Helsinki. Closest domestic peer to Siida's open-air museum concept (historic buildings, cultural-heritage interpretation), although its scope is broader Finnish folk culture rather than indigenous Sámi.
• Arktikum: Museum and science centre in Rovaniemi covering Arctic nature, history, and culture. Comparable destination attraction in Finnish Lapland with similar international tourism draw, exhibitions, and visitor services model.
• Saemien Sijte (Southern Sámi Museum & Cultural Centre): Sister Sámi museum and cultural centre in Snåsa, Norway, focused on Southern Sámi culture. Direct peer in mission, audience (Sámi cultural tourism), and repatriation practice — the two institutions executed the first Sámi-to-Sámi museum repatriation in September 2025.
• Árran Lule Sami Center: Lule Sámi cultural centre and museum in Drag, Norway. Comparable Sámi cultural institution with exhibitions, language programs, and community engagement, operating a similar mandate to preserve and present a distinct Sámi culture.

Broad incumbents

• National Museum of Finland (Kansallismuseo): Finland's national museum, currently the institutional home of more than 2,000 Sámi collection items being repatriated to Siida. Comparable national-museum function and exhibition scale, but with broader Finnish cultural mandate rather than Sámi specialization.
• Kiasma (Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki): Finland's contemporary art museum and Siida's flagship collaboration partner for the 2026 'We Who Remain' Sámi art exhibition. Peer in curatorial scale and public exhibition operations, though its focus is contemporary art rather than cultural heritage.
• Skansen: The world's first open-air museum, located on Djurgården in Stockholm. Conceptually the broadest incumbent peer — open-air museum of historic buildings and cultural interpretation — though it operates at much larger scale and serves Swedish rather than Sámi heritage.

Emerging players

• Sami Cultural Centre SOGA / Sámi University of Applied Sciences: Sámi cultural and educational institution in Kautokeino, Norway, combining Sámi cultural transmission, higher education, and small museum functions. Comparable indigenous cultural-preservation mission and Sámi audience focus, though more research/education-weighted than exhibition-driven.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SiidaSamiMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/siidainari
• Instagraminstagram.com/siidainari
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s-mi-musea-siida

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sámi musea Siida