As early as the Stone Age people chose to settle here. The information that has been gathered through archeological digging shows that it was exactly here on the Islet that the Sámi and the settlers made contacts with the authorities, represented by the clergy and the schoolmaster. In 1606 King Carolus IX's emissary and the Sámi met in order to decide the location of a church and market site. They agreed that the Islet was a good place, because neither the Sámi from Ångermanland nor the Piteå areas would then get too long way to church. The work started - building material was procured, and before Christmas in 1607 the first church was finished. In connection with the two annual markets legal matters were handled, and the King's bailiffs levied taxes. The church site - with a Lapp Town for the cots of the Sámi, the Finn Town for the settlers and the Burgher Town for the tradesmen - grew, but the space was too limited, so when the new church was built on the heath in 1799, everything gradually moved to the site of present Lycksele.

The open-air museum, run by Lycksele Hembygdsgille (the Lycksele Folklore Society), illustrates the development within several different areas  - the settlers, the church, school, farming and forestry, hunting, telecommunications, trade, tailoring and shoemaking. There is a cafeteria at Ruselegården (the Rusele manor-house) and time for reflection in the Margareta Church. The Sámi Association is responsible for the display of Sámi culture. The all-year open Forestry Museum is also in the area.

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