Serlachius Art Museum Gösta is in the Finnish Art Town, Mänttä-Vilppula, amid beautiful lakeside nature. Visitors can admire the sculpture park, the old manor milieu, the forest – and now also take a sauna! The Art Sauna is located on the shore of Lake Melasjärvi and it opened in June 2022. It opens a new dimension for the Finnish sauna experience.
The planning for the Art Sauna started already in 2017. Art Museum Gösta arranged a ‘sauna marathon’ for its architects from abroad. The architects had familiarized to various kinds of saunas by sauna bathing together. The planning permission for the project was given in March 2020. The construction project was postponed by a year because of Covid. On 17 June 2022 was finally the day of the opening for invitation guests. On 18 June, the first sauna bathers threw water on the stove.
The Art Sauna is a masterpiece of architecture and quality planning and construction
Development Director of Serlachius Art Museums, Päivi Viherkoski, tells that for them, the architecture, the quality of planning and construction were key aspects. The finished details are important as well.
“We want to offer our sauna guests a leisured journey of sense experiences. As in our museums, in the Art Sauna we combine art, food, and nature together into an intertwined whole. Now, adding the aesthetic experiences brought by the high-quality design.”
“In the sauna path of Serlachius Art Museum Gösta, the senses awaken through oppositions. The soft wood surfaces of the arched oak vaults meet the hard, rhythmic stone walls and floors. The variation of cold and hot feelings crowns the experience. These feelings come when stepping into the warmth of the sauna through the cooling yard. The destination of the journey for senses is the round sauna. The rhythmic composition of aspen surfaces forms a relaxed atmosphere in there,” Viherkoski describes.
Access to the Art Sauna only by reservation and on public sauna days
The art museum has already offered a journey for senses. It is full of art and history in which the sauna gives a good addition. Päivi Viherkoski strongly believes that the Art Sauna will grow the appeal of the art museum even internationally. “Our Art Sauna complements the selection. I hope that even more companies and international tourists find Serlachius, the story of Finnish art and forest industry, and our eloquent exhibitions. Our culture work is responsible, and we hope that anyone gets to also enjoy this newest addition, our sauna.”
Open-for-all public sauna days will be arranged in the Art Sauna. See here the schedule for the public sauna days and how you can book the sauna for your group.
The basics of the Art Sauna, meaning the setting and the food experience offered, have been finished down to the last detail before the opening. Päivi Viherkoski says that they are planning to develop wellness services and other new experiences to the sauna area. For example, cooperation with Artist Nanna Hänninen has already started. Her Neemo method includes creative workshopping. It can be offered at the Art Sauna as a technique for team training and facilitation. However, Viherkoski finds that the current Art Sauna is already a whole experience.
“We believe in what our Art Sauna already has. Top-architecture, gorgeous art, beautiful design, splendid views, tasty food – what else do we need?”
