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.
The Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida has become the most significant visitor destination and tourist attraction in Northern Lapland. Our exhibition, "Enâmeh láá mii párnááh – These Lands Are Our Children," which opened in 2022 in the expanded and renovated Siida building, has been a success. The new joint exhibition, the repatriation work carried out by the Sámi Museum, and community collection work have significantly advanced the national and international societal visibility and impact of the museum field.
We are very happy and satisfied that the diverse work of the Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida for Sámi cultural heritage and northern nature has received the most significant recognition in the Finnish museum sector.
“The award for the wonderful and heartfelt work belongs to the entire staff of the Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida and to all those who have participated in the exhibition and renovation projects over the past years. The Sámi Museum especially wants to thank the Sámi community, which has participated in the exhibition renewal, repatriation work, and community work, and supported the museum’s work,” said chief curator Eija Ojanlatva, accepting the award on behalf of the Sámi Museum.
“We at Metsähallitus highly value the more than 25 years of cooperation between the Nature Centre and Sámi Museum at Siida. It has taken us far, and together we have been pioneers. When the first exhibition opened, the joint exhibition of the two organizations was the first of its kind. In our new exhibition, we created a new way of storytelling by using art in our displays. The concept of combining two exhibition scripts into one still works,” rejoices Kirsi Ukkonen, a special expert in recreational use at Metsähallitus.
“This is a significant recognition alongside the European Museum of the Year award. We hope that these awards will also be reflected in the appreciation and funding of Sámi Museum Siida’s national work,” says museum director Taina Pieski.
The new exhibition at the Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida has been a success, as we have surpassed previous visitor records. Since the reopening, we have had 226,000 visitors in a year and a half, with nearly 120,000 of them visiting our exhibition. Over half of our exhibition visitors are international guests.
In addition to Sámi Museum and Northern Lapland Nature Centre Siida, four other museums competed for the award: Chappe Contemporary Art Museum in Raseborg, the Luostarinmäki Museum Quarter in Turku, the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto in Punkaharju, and the Museum Centre Konsti in Varkaus. The award was presented for the tenth time.
Giitu! Takkâ! Späʹsseb! Kiitos! Thank you!
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