Nikel: Nature and History of the Pasvik Area

The visitor center of the Pasvik Nature Reserve in Nikel has a permanent exhibition on the history and nature of the protected area. In January 2022, the “Museum of Nature” was also opened there, a multimedia exhibition about Pasvik and its activities.

The Museum of History and Local Lore of Pechengsky District displays core samples from the Kola Superdeep Borehole. They come from a depth of more than twelve kilometers. Shuonijoki Waterfall is about 10 km southwest of Nikel, near the Russian-Norwegian border.

The visitor center offers two distinct ways of exploring Pasvik: the permanent exhibition covers the history and nature of the protected area, while the multimedia exhibition “Museum of Nature” focuses on Pasvik and its activities. One brings together natural and historical themes in a permanent exhibition; the other uses a multimedia format. If you plan to visit the center, check the current visiting arrangements in advance.

The district museum offers a different perspective through core samples from the Kola Superdeep Borehole. The samples, taken from a depth of more than twelve kilometers, shift the focus from the protected area to geological depths. The topics represented in Nikel thus range from the nature and history of Pasvik to a tangible record of the borehole.

The waterfall is not in the town, but about 10 km southwest of Nikel and near the Russian-Norwegian border. It is therefore a natural attraction in the surrounding area. The visitor center and district museum offer things to see in Nikel itself; the waterfall is geographically separate from them.

In Murmansk Oblast, Umba has its own cultural and historical focus. The guided walking route “Starinnaya pomorskaya derevnya Umba” is 5.5 kilometers long and offers insight into northern wooden architecture and everyday Pomor life. It follows a river and continues all the way to the sea. Seven information boards along the route cover the settlement’s history, as well as the Pomors, their livelihoods, and their daily life. The guided route must be booked at least two days in advance; check current arrangements with the provider beforehand.

The Museum of History, Culture and Everyday Life of the Tersky Pomors in Umba covers their livelihoods from the 18th to the early 20th century. These include fishing, hunting marine mammals, shipbuilding, and pearl fishing. Other exhibition topics include crafts from the same period: carpentry and joinery, woodworking, shoemaking, as well as women’s crafts and needlework. The region’s cultural context thus ranges from work at sea to traditional crafts.

A contrasting landscape can be found at Teriberka Nature Park in Murmansk Oblast. It protects nesting sites of rare bird species, two bird colonies featuring kittiwakes and rare cormorants, plants listed in the Red Data Book, and natural landmarks such as the cliffs of Teriberka. At Batereysky Waterfall, water from Lake Maloye Batareyskoye plunges over steep rocks; the waterfall flows into the Barents Sea.

What can you see at the Pasvik Nature Reserve visitor center?

The permanent exhibition covers the history and nature of the protected area. In January 2022, the multimedia exhibition “Museum of Nature” about Pasvik and its activities also opened there.

How far is Shuonijoki Waterfall from Nikel?

It is about 10 km southwest of Nikel and near the Russian-Norwegian border, in the surrounding area.

What should you know about the guided walking route in Umba?

The “Starinnaya pomorskaya derevnya Umba” route is 5.5 kilometers long. The guided tour must be booked at least two days in advance; check current arrangements with the provider beforehand.

For the broader travel overview: Pechengsky District.