Gold Museum and Gold Village

Map: http://www.kultamuseo.fi/museo/pages/en/information.php?lang=EN

http://www.tankavaara.fi/goldvillage/pages/intro.php

International Gold Prospector Museum

The International Gold Prospector Museum was founded in 1973 with the main aim to preserve the Gold History of Finland. The Museum cooperates with the National Board of Antiquities, Metsähallitus (Natural Heritage Services) and the University of Oulu.

Here visitors have the chance to discover the gold prospecting history of Lapland and the history of gold in many countries, in the international section (Golden World). In this international area is present over twenty countries all over the world and visitors can observe the biggest aluvial gold nugget in the world, in Australia´s section.  Also, visitors can prospect their own gold (in summertime it is done in outside area and in winter time inside of the museum).

Curiosities:

Did you know? The biggest nugget found by a tourist is the size of a pingpong ball and it was found by a 11 years old boy.

Besides the International Gold Prospector Museum, Tankavaara offers to its visitors:

Gem and mineral exhibition: Härkäselän Kultala

In this building, originally built in 1924 by the legendary gold mining company – Lapin Kulta Oy and transferred to Tankavaara in 1970s, is separated of the Gold Museum. Here are displayed an huge collection of gems and minerals from many countries and from Finland too.

Auraria

In this outdoor area, which belongs to the section of Golden World, visitors can see a collection of scale model replicas of buildings from gold rush centres around the world. Nowadays, many of these buildings can only be seen in Auraria area.

 Grand Gold Rush Opera, a copy of the building in Dawson City, Canada (left); Nugget restaurant (right).

 Columbia Gazete Office, a copy of the building in Columbia City, California (left); Jeff Smith Parlor, a copy of the building in Skagway, Alasca (right).

Bodie Hotel, a copy of the building in Bodie City, California.



Bottle house. In many gold fields of the world where the wood was scaree to built a cabin, the alternative solution  was to built with bottles.



The six corner "Nut Cabin".

Kasper´s shops. The first one near to the Museum and the second one in Auraria´s Area. In these two places is possible to buy jewelery made of geological products and gold.

Gold Village

  

 

For further information:

International Gold Prospector Museum
http://www.kultamuseo.fi/museo/pages/fi/etusivu.php 

Tankavaara Gold Village
http://www.tankavaara.fi/goldvillage/pages/intro.php