As we wrap up #NationalSaunaWeek, we’re celebrating with a piece of Nordic heritage—the Museum’s own historic sauna, which is one of the oldest working in North America ✨ Built over a century ago by Estonian immigrant Johann Wierlo, this savu sauna (smoke sauna) once stood on Finn Hill (now Kirkland). In 1999, Wierlo’s sauna was transported in one piece to the former Nordic Heritage Museum before arriving at its current home in our East Garden in 2018, where it was restored and converted to an electric sauna—making it fully functional today. ♨️ For Nordic immigrants in the Pacific Northwest, saunas were more than relaxation—they were spaces to gather, connect, and preserve traditions. Swipe to see photos from its original journey from Finn Hill ➡️