PITTSBURGH FINNS
Finnish Room Committee, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Chapter, Finlandia Foundation
A Walk Through the Finnish Room
As You Enter the Finnish Room
You are in the Cathedral of Learning, standing on the third floor. You are entering Room 306, the Finnish Room.
You have entered a Finnish farmstead. You are on a path. On your left, you see the woods on the farmstead grounds. Overhead, in the sky, are the stars of the Big Dipper. In front of you is the sauna (the sauna is a life-sized model with a bench). On your right is the farmhouse, with chairs and tables.
You walk to the end of the path. You can go straight ahead into the sauna and sit on the sauna bench. Or you can turn right, into the farmhouse, and sit on a chair at a table.
You turn right and enter the farmhouse.
As You Look Into the Farmhouse
You are standing in the entrance to the farmhouse. Near you, on your right, the door frame reveals a cross section of how the logs were carefully fit together, a hallmark of Finnish construction. The farmhouse has two traditional Finnish long tables surrounded by Finnish chairs. At the end of the room is a modern electronic display screen. The blue Finnish tapestry can cover it. The fireplace is in the corner of the room to the right of the tapestry. You see traditional Finnish windows with their red frames (the windows on the right are display cases).
You walk to the end of the farmhouse room and turn around. Now you see the place you came from.
As You Look Back at the Path
You see the trees by the path which you were walking on when you entered the farmhouse. To their right is the sauna, which you did not enter at that time. You see the other opening to the sauna, which connects it to the farmhouse so students can sit on the sauna bench and participate in the class in the farmhouse. On your left, you see the stove again with the window-like display cases. To your right, you see the windows and radiator covers.