Attraction: Arktikum

Travel in Rovaniemi

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Lapland, FI (78 mi.)
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Address:
Lies 1km ( 1/2 mile) north of city center
Pohjoisranta 4
Rovaniemi
Finland

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Expert Review of Arktikum

Family Review of Arktikum

By Travel Expert: Alistair Wearmouth

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Family Expert Rating

Recommended for:
Children aged 6 - 12 and 13 - 17

Family Expert Tips & Helpful Hints

This is a good place to discover that Lapland means more than just saunas, Santa, and reindeers. Lapland's WWII history is particularly fascinating and offers new perspectives on the war that raged across the whole of Europe.
Come face to face with some of the immediate effects of climate change at the Arctic in Change exhibit, including experiencing a true Arctic chill in a specially-equipped ice box.

Visitor Information

Telephone Number: 016/322-3260

Hours: Aug Tues-Sun 10am-8pm; Sept-Nov Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; Dec-July daily 10am-6pm

Location Information: Lies 1km ( 1/2 mile) north of city center

Description:

This is the best museum in all of Scandinavia that's devoted to the people and the culture of region. An avant-garde, underground construction, which mimics an ice tunnel, shelters two exceptional museums that demonstrate living conditions for the people, especially the Sami, who live north of the Arctic Circle.

Almost daily, a show features the Northern Lights in the Polarium Theater. The Provincial Museum of Lapland Exhibitions is a fascinating re-creation of Sami culture, with folklore costumes, small-scale models of Rovaniemi from 1939 to 1944, and an award-winning exhibition called "The Survivors," illustrating life in Lapland from prehistoric times to today.

The Arctic Circle Centre Exhibitions take you to the top of the world, offering a rare insight into these northern people and their flora and fauna. You learn such things as the number of words Inuits have for snow, and see the equipment they use for catching seals. The exhibitions also trace the tremendous natural wealth of the region while addressing risks involved in exploiting them.

It'll take at least 2 hours, which can include lunch a t the Arktikum Restaurant (tel. 016/322-3263), where all the food is prepared using fresh local produce. The 10€ ($13) luncheon buffet is the best in town. You can also order a la carte items, such as sautéed reindeer, costing from 16€ to 17€ ($21-$22). An on-site gift shop sells handmade souvenirs.

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