The Arktikum in Rovaniemi is home to a Science Centre and a Museum : the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland and the Regional Museum of Lapland, where you can discover the nature of the Arctic regions, their culture and their history. There’s plenty to learn about the Arctic in general !
A museum in two parts, with dense, rich and fascinating content, as well as temporary exhibitions, a library, a coffee/restaurant, a souvenir shop and events.
The Arktikum has a long glassed-in gallery, half underground, 172m long, at the end of which you can contemplate the landscape, the changing seasons of Lapland and even the Northern Lights !
In front of the Arktikum, temporary work by Stina Aletta Aikio (Guldal Olavi Kirsi Stiinná)
“Guldalit, Čatnasit, Ciekkadit“
The museum opened to the public in 1992, on the 75th anniversary of Finland’s independence. The Danish group Birch-Bonderup & Thorup-Waade was the architect. The new crescent-shaped annex was designed by Bonderup and Lehtipalo and completed in 1997.
The Arktikum Arctic Garden, along the banks of the river Ounasjoki, covers around seven hectares and a small island. It features a variety of plant species and alpine vegetation that have uniquely adapted to survive the harsh climate of northern Lapland and the Arctic.
It is maintained by the University of Lapland.
You’ll also find copies of ancient stones and runic symbols, as well as the work ‘Nätti-Jussi’ by sculptor and artist Risto Immonen, inspired by the legendary woodcutter Johan Viktor Nätti (1890-1964).
During the summer months, the midnight sun lights up the beach park from the north, making it an ideal spot for a picnic or a swim. As summer gives way to autumn and winter, the days get shorter and the nights longer. It is during this darker period that Arktikum beach is transformed into a magnificent spot for watching the Northern Lights.
The regional museum of Lapland
The Regional Museum of Lapland is the main official structure for Lappish culture, prehistory, history, architectural heritage and nature.
The largest and northernmost region of Finland, Lapland, has been home to permanent settlements and a vast network of northern peoples for thousands of years.
Lapland has always attracted visitors, each of whom has left their mark here in one way or another.
The Museum offers exhibitions that illustrate the history of Lapland, its cultures, nature and other contemporary themes.
The main themes of the permanent exhibitions at the Regional Museum of Lapland are as follows :
– Rovaniemi and its wooden houses
– The bustle of the market
– The joys of snow and ice
– The wars
– The period of reconstruction
– Petsamo, a Finnish territory on the way to the Arctic Ocean
– The different sources of income in the North
– Reindeer husbandry
– Nature and wildlife in Lapland
– The land and the Sami people
The name Rovaniemi comes from the Sami word ‘roavve’, which means an esker or hill covered in forest, or a place where there was a forest fire at an earlier time.
With 8016 km2, Rovaniemi is Europe’s largest city by area.
– Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, and has become an area of trade and markets. The first market in Rovaniemi was held in 1881. It was a convivial gathering, with carousels, music, dancing and a travelling photographer all contributing to the warm atmosphere. The tradition has been going strong ever since.
– The Second World War in Finland led to the almost total destruction of the centre of Rovaniemi.
– Rovaniemi is a great place for winter activities, with snow from November to April.
– The various sources of income in the North were based on the forestry industry, the transport of wood by river, hunting and fishing.
– The Sámi, reindeer herders, lived to the rhythm of their herds and moved with them, leading a nomadic life.
Between 10% and 20% of the population of the Arctic belongs to indigenous peoples, the original inhabitants of this region. The indigenous Inuit make up the majority of the population of Greenland.
Russia has the largest number of indigenous peoples, the Nenets being the most important. There are more than 40,000 Nenets, and more than half of them speak Nenets as their mother tongue.
The Sámi are the only indigenous people officially recognized in the European Union.
Initially, Sami craftsmanship, known as ‘Duodji’, was a form of decorative art, essentially for everyday objects. Tools, clothes, knives, cups, bags, hats, belts, laces… These items have been handmade for many centuries. Over time, it has become a genuine quality label.
– A scenery reproduction of a gas station cafe, one of the few places where villagers, especially the men, could meet and spend their free time.
– There are approximately 8,000 Christmas cards from different eras in the collections of the Regional Museum of Lapland.
– In ancient times, healers used plants to treat people’s ailments and illnesses.
– Berry picking is one of the Finnish people’s favorite activities.
The different animal species of the Arctic are presented to you : you can observe them, listen to their song or their cry, and discover their various characteristics.
In our article on Ranua Zoo, you can discover all the arctic animals
The Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland
The Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland conducts internationally recognized multi-disciplinary research on the Arctic.
The Arctic Centre’s exhibitions represent the lifestyles and daily lives of the peoples of the North, but also how they deal with the new challenges facing the region, such as climate change and globalization.
The main themes covered by the University of Lapland’s Arctic Centre exhibitions are as follows :
– The Arctic region
– The Arctic in 4 points
– The North Pole in 3 points
– The northern celestial hemisphere
– Day and night
– The Northern Lights
– The indigenous populations
– Coping with the cold
– The snow
– The ‘white beast’, the polar bear
– Global warming
The Arctic is a cold climatic zone around the North Pole. Long winters, a short growing season for vegetation and a hostile environment. However, 4.5 million people live in the Arctic zone, scattered unevenly across the 8 Arctic countries. The seasons mark the rhythm of life. The contrast between the midnight sun of summer and the polar night of winter is huge.
– Of the 4.5 million inhabitants of the Arctic zone, less than 20% are indigenous. The question of who is indigenous and who is not is a crucial issue in the Arctic today.
– The cold and dry Arctic climate is a real survival challenge for animals, plants and humans. The various alternatives are migration outside the Arctic zone during the harshest part of the winter, a state of winter rest, or alternative methods of coping with the extreme conditions.
Some Arctic animals do not migrate during the long, harsh winter, such as polar bears, ermine, weasels and willow ptarmigan.
If you haven’t had the chance to see the Northern Lights during your stay, you can still enjoy a great video immersion at the Arktikum…
– The Arctic Centre carries out research that combines social sciences, law and natural sciences, with the aim of providing knowledge and understanding around the Arctic. It studies the interaction between humans and the environment under changing conditions.
– The University of the Arctic is a cooperative network of universities and organizations, which aims to strengthen multi-disciplinary education and information sharing in the northern regions. It recognizes the central role of indigenous peoples in higher education in the northern regions.
How long does it take to visit the Arktikum ?
We recommend that you take your time to visit the Arktikum, 2 to 3 hours should be enough, but you can also easily spend the whole day there if you take a lunch break or sample the Arktikum’s delicious coffee.
With the Culture Pass, which includes admission to 3 cultural sites for 7 days (Arktikum Museum, Pilke Science Centre and Korundi House of Culture), you can return to these 3 museums as many times as you like. This pass is valid for 7 days from the date of purchase.
See below, in the “2024 Prices” section.
Free lockers are also available for you to dispose of your personal belongings during your visit to the museum.
What other museums can you visit in Rovaniemi ?
– You can also visit the Pilke Science Centre in Rovaniemi, which offers a multi-sensory, interactive exhibition for all ages on the sustainable use of Nordic forests.
The Pilke Science Centre
– Here is a list of museums to visit in and around Rovaniemi :
The different museums of Rovaniemi
practical informations about the Arktikum
Map
Opening hours
- Opening of the exhibitions and the museum’s shop :
From Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm (closed on Monday)
– From 01.12 to 31.12.2024 :
From Monday to Sunday, 10am-6pm
– Closed on Christmas Eve (24.12)
Subject to change without notice
Ticket sales close 30 minutes before the museum closes. - Opening of the coffee :
Monday, 10.30am-2pm
From monday to friday, 10.30am-5pm
Saturday and sunday, 12am-5pm - Opening of the lunch :
Monday, 10.30am-2pm
From Tuesday to Friday, 10.30am-3pm
Saturday, 12am-3pm - Exceptions :
– 30.11.2024
Coffee :
Exceptionally closed
Lunch :
Closed
– 01.12.2024 – 31.12.2024
Coffee :
Monday-Friday 10.30am–5pm
Saturday-sunday 12am–5pm
Lunch :
Monday-Friday 10.30am–3pm
Saturday 12am–3pm
– 06.12.2024
Coffee :
12am–5pm
Lunch :
10.30am-3pm
– 24.12.2024
Coffee :
Closed
Lunch :
Closed
– 25.12.2024 – 26.12.2024
Coffee :
12am–5pm
Lunch :
Closed
– 01.01.2025
Coffee :
12am–5pm
Lunch :
Closed
– 06.01.2025
Coffee :
Closed
Lunch :
Closed
– 31.03.2025 – 29.06.2025
Coffee :
Monday 10.30am–2pm
Tuesday-Friday 10.30am–4pm
Saturday-Sunday closed
Lunch :
Monday-Friday 10.30am-2pm
– 18.04.2025 – 21.04.2025
Coffee :
Closed
Lunch :
Closed
To verify the opening hours of the coffee in 2024
Prices 2024
– Entry tickets :
- Adult : €18
- Senior, student, unemployed : €11
- Child 7-15 years old : €5
- Child below 7 years old : free
- Entry for the temporary exhibitions : €6
– Entry tickets from the 01.01.2025 :
- Adult : €20
- Senior, student, unemployed : €15
- Child 7-15 years old : €5
- Child below 7 years old : free
- Entry for the temporary exhibitions : €6
– Family ticket :
The price includes an entry for 2 adults + 2 children 7-15 years old + 1 child below 7 years old
- €40
- From the 01.01.2025, the family ticket price will be at €45
– Group and tour operators tickets (to book in advance) :
You can contact the museum here : info@arktikum.fi
– Culture Pass (the pass is personal, valid for 7 days and allows you to visit 3 museums in Rovaniemi, the Pilke Science Center, the Arktikum Museum and the House of Culture Korundi, as many times as you like) :
- Adults : €25
- Seniors, students, unemployed : €20
- Child 7-15 years old : €10
- Child below 7 years old : free
- Family : €55 (2 adults + 2 children 7-15 years old OR 1 adult + 3 children 7-15 years old)
– Culture Pass from the 01.01.2025 :
- Adults : €30
- Seniors, students, unemployed : €20
- Children 7-15 years old : €10
- Child below 7 years old : free
- Family : €65
– Museums card (valid for 1 year and allows to visit 350 Finnish museums) :
- New card : €79
- Extending the validity of your card : €73
– Guided visits :
- Days of the week : €140/h/guide
- Sundays : €200/h/guide (from 2025, €240)
Prices include a one-hour guided tour with admission purchased separately. One guide can lead a group of up to 30 people.
Guided tours must be booked in advance by contacting the museum here : info@arktikum.fi
Tours will be confirmed subject to availability.
– Assistants :
- The personal assistant of a person with reduced mobility is entitled to free access
- Guide dogs are also welcome
– Audio guides :
A limited number of audio guides are available free of charge from the admissions office.
You can also connect your own headphones to the audio guides.
The audio guides are available in Finnish, English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
Address / Car park
– Address :
Arktikum House
Pohjoisranta 4
96200 Rovaniemi / Finland
The Arktikum is located to the north of the E4 motorway, just outside Rovaniemi town center.
– If you come from the South :
As you approach Rovaniemi, on the E4 motorway heading North, get into the right-hand lane, pass two exits towards the town and pass under the Revontuli shopping center tunnel. Take the exit ramp on the right immediately after the tunnel and get into the left-hand lane towards Kittilä. Turn left and stay in the lane to continue following the signs to the Arktikum.
– If you come from the North :
As you approach Rovaniemi, on the E4 motorway heading South, take the first exit ramp towards the town center. Get into the right-hand lane on the exit slip road and follow the signs to the Arktikum.
– Free parking is available near the Arktikum, as well as spaces for the disabled. Buses should drop you off in front of the main entrance, and their parking spaces are indicated.
The different access to Arktikum – Google Maps
Contact
Phone : +358 16 322 3260
Email : info@arktikum.fi
