Discover Outokumpu: Mining History and Lakes

Outokumpu brings mining history to life beyond display cases: a 277-metre-long museum tunnel recreates a real mining work environment. Lakes, hiking trails and cross-country ski tracks in winter offer a different focus. When choosing accommodation, you can first consider whether culture, nature or activities on the water should shape your stay.

Outokumpu at a glance

• The museum tunnel is 277 metres long and features photographs and old mining machines.
• The underground exhibition “Maan aarteet” includes a 3.5-billion-year-old stone.
• The Särkiselkä nature trail is a circular route through hilly landscapes and lakes.
• The Erä and Nature Centre area includes a canoeing circuit through twelve lakes.
• At the children’s fishing spot, children under 12 can fish for salmonids free of charge.

Experience mining history

The Outokumpu Mining Museum brings together the mining history of the town and Finland with mining today. The 277-metre-long museum tunnel is particularly vivid: photographs and old machines recreate a real mining work environment. Walking through the tunnel offers a different way to experience history than the underground exhibition “Maan aarteet”, which also features a 3.5-billion-year-old stone.

An exhibition of large machines includes, among other things, a former fire engine, an explosives vehicle and an off-road vehicle used to search for ore. This area is open seasonally. The different exhibits provide insights into the various tasks involved in mining, while the story goes beyond machinery alone: the museum connects developments in Outokumpu and Finland with mining today.

Outokumpu’s mining history also includes the Old Mine, a destination in the vicinity of a copper mine that is more than a hundred years old. The mining community developed over a century; the Old Mine area and its surroundings can be described as an “old town”. If you would like to explore the site digitally first, you can take a 360-degree virtual tour of the Old Mine.

Hiking trails and winter routes

The Särkiselkä nature trail is a circular route through the hilly landscapes and lakes of Outokumpu’s Erä and Nature Centre. The trail starts at the access road to the Särkiselkä campsite, Rikkarannantie 37. There is a car park for the trail at Särkiselkä beach, also at Rikkarannantie 37. Having both the trailhead and car park at Rikkarannantie 37 makes planning easier.

Rock outcrops on the nature trail can be slippery in rainy weather. When it is wet, take extra care at these spots. The Erä and Nature Centre also has hiking trails, and Outokumpu has longer hiking routes too. In winter, a well-maintained network of cross-country ski tracks offers another way to spend time outdoors. Nature experiences therefore vary not only by landscape, but also by season and activity.

Lakes, water and nature

Särkiselkä beach offers opportunities to enjoy sandy beaches and swimming. The Erä and Nature Centre area is also home to a unique canoeing circuit through twelve lakes. The availability of equipment for the circuit varies by season.

Nature also reveals its different facets: Sysmäjärvi is known for its birdlife as a bird lake. Juojärvi is regarded as a clear-water lake among Outokumpu’s natural attractions. Viurusuo is a protected natural area, and the Erä and Nature Centre offers a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Tailor your stay to your interests

When choosing a hotel in Outokumpu, it helps to start with one simple question: should mining history take centre stage, or would you rather spend most of your time on hiking trails, by the water or, in winter, on ski tracks? Children under 12 can fish for salmonids free of charge at the children’s fishing spot; remember to take the seasonal rules into account when planning this activity.

If you are looking for other destinations for your Finland trip as well as Outokumpu, you can also discover Tohmajärvi, Elomäki, Ilomantsi, Vartiala, Ketsu, Vanhahovi, Säyneinen and Mannervaara.

Frequently asked questions about Outokumpu

What does the museum tunnel show?

The 277-metre-long tunnel uses photographs and old mining machines to recreate a real mining work environment.

What can you see in the “Maan aarteet” exhibition?

The underground exhibition at the Outokumpu Mining Museum includes, among other things, a stone that is 3.5 billion years old.

Where does the Särkiselkä nature trail start?

The trail starts at the access road to the Särkiselkä campsite at Rikkarannantie 37. The car park for the trail is at Särkiselkä beach at the same address.

Can children go fishing in Outokumpu?

At the children’s fishing spot, children under 12 can fish for salmonids free of charge. Seasonal rules are part of planning this activity.

Which activities depend on the season?

The large-machinery exhibition is open seasonally, and the availability of equipment for the canoeing circuit through twelve lakes varies by season. In winter, Outokumpu has a well-maintained network of cross-country ski tracks.

For the main travel overview: North Karelia.