Abstract This article revisits the Finnish contribution to the First International Polar Year (IPY) (1882–1883) by examining a largely overlooked primary source: “ On the Finnish Research Expedition to Sodankylä and Kultala in 1882–1884, with Sketches from Lapland ” (Helsinki, 1885). Contrary to claims in recent scholarship that no detailed accounts of daily life at the Finnish polar station have survived, this volume offers rich descriptions of the expedition’s routines, challenges, and social interactions. Drawing on these narratives, the article reconstructs the everyday realities of scientific work in Sodankylä, including the arduous journey north, the setting up of observation facilities, the strict schedule of meteorological and magnetic observations, and the experimental studies on auroral phenomena led by Professor Selim Lemström. The analysis highlights why these accounts were forgotten – due to linguistic barriers and limited popular dissemination – and argues for their significance in understanding both the material culture of polar science and Finland’s role in the First IPY. By bringing this evidence into the historiography of Arctic research, the article challenges prevailing assumptions and calls for renewed attention to local perspectives in global scientific enterprises.
Janne Ikäheimo (2026) studied this question.