My postgraduate research conserns the future of prehistorical tourist attractions in Finland. Although in this conference I will provide wider aspects to the prehistoric archaeological heritage and it´s present meanings and values at the local level in our postmodern society. I will propose several examples of the production of the prehistorical heritage.

In this Conference I also present the methodology and the main objectives of my postgraduate study. The study produces scenarios, i.e. possible series of pictures of the future of Finnish prehistorical tourism using the methodology of futures studies. I aim to build a strategy of sustainable prehistorical tourism based on these scenarios; my study reveals the values behind the scenarios and the changes that they forecast.

The study is inherently cross-disciplinary: the methods are based in futures studies but the perspectives are from museological tradition, archaeology and tourism research. I believe that futures studies connected to the etnological research tradition can create completely new, exciting viewpoints to the field of prehistorical tourism research in Finland. I utilitize a methodology that is based on expert opinions and is fundamentally participatory. The Delfoi-process also aims at taking part of building the future, not just discussing it. The prehistorical tourism is still a new field in Finland especially as a business area. Actors in that field are mainly small organizations and enthusiasts, which to my research means that the future of the fiels is fuzzy and difficult to perceive.

Futures studies provide a toolkit that helps me grasp the essence and future of prehistorical tourism. The scenarios facilitate the discussion on these issues. My research is characteristically proactive and futureoriented. The study both produces knowledge of how prehistorical relics become tourism attractions and finds practical business strategies for the organisations working in this field in the future. In the Conference I plan to present my premises, methods, and research questions in detail. Especially I will pay attention to the theoretical questions of the prehistoric archaeological heritage and it´s connections to the perspectives of locality.