Finnish American Heritage Center reopening June 1

The Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) will reopen to the general public on June 1, 2021 under the following guidelines:

• Public hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
• The Finlandia University Gallery and Martha Wiljanen Community Hall will be open and accessible for self-guided tours; guided art gallery tours provided by Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler are available upon request
• The archive will be 100-percent appointment-only; masks will be required when inside archive reading room and other research areas
• The FAR office will accept walk-in customers, though appointments are preferred
• All visitors must follow campus-wide Covid protocols in effect at time of visit
• The Martha Wiljanen Community Hall will not yet be available for rentals

This plan will be reviewed and updated monthly.

Although the FAHC has been closed to the public since March 2020, the staff has spent the past year offering services upon request, including research assistance and accepting archival donations. Interim Director David Maki and Archivist Joanna Chopp are eager to welcome patrons back to the Center.

“It’s very energizing to hear the feedback from these folks, particularly the ones who come from further away; they’re always so thrilled to see how much we’re doing to preserve and promote the culture so many people hold dear,” Maki said.

In addition to his director responsibilities at the FAHC, Maki serves as the Editor-In-Chief of the Finnish American Reporter (FAR). The FAR is a monthly publication that provides a direct connection to Finnish heritage for people around the world and is available on a subscription basis. 

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Maki would also like to remind patrons that there are a number of FAHC-produced items available for purchase, including the “Sirkka: Past and Present Documentary”, “Tastes of Finnish American” cookbook, and “Finns of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula” book. These items can be found at North Wind Books, located immediately west of the FAHC.