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The Finnish American Heritage Society

This past weekend, I visited the Finnish American Heritage Society and Museum in Canterbury, Connecticut. The museum and archive collections focus on the history, culture and traditions of the Finnish Americans who settled in the Northeastern region of the United States. During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting Anita Smiley, who provided an insightful tour of the museum and its collections. Anita shared details about her Finnish heritage, the museum’s history, and her annual trips to Finland. Each summer, Anita leads a group of travelers from across the U.S. on a 15-day exploration of Finland, marking her 30th year of organizing these tours in 2024. She is also the Past President of the Finlandia Foundation National, where she guided all 52 chapters nationwide from 2009 to 2013.

The museum’s collection is rich with Finnish artifacts donated by local families. It includes wood carvings, weavings, vintage housewares, paintings, traditional clothing, photos, and a diverse selection of books in both English and Finnish. The FAHS Museum recently underwent a major renovation, thanks to a Museum Makeover grant received in late spring of the previous year. This grant funded the creation of new interactive exhibits, including a wall panel titled “What We Bring With Us” and an interactive door panel named “What Would You Bring?” The wall panel explores the Memories, Traditions, and Hopes that immigrants brought to Eastern Connecticut, while the interactive door panel invites visitors to share what they would bring if relocating.

My favorite part of the museum was the “Deep Connection to Nature” exhibit. It featured fascinating items related to the Sami people, the indigenous inhabitants of Lapland in northern Finland. Highlights included Sami shoes made from reindeer hide, a moose wood carving, a miniature Finnish “Shaving” Tree, and more. There is still so much to explore and learn in this small but rich museum, and I plan to return soon. I highly recommend visiting the Finnish American Heritage Society if you are interested in Finnish culture.

In addition to its exhibits, the museum hosts numerous events throughout the year to celebrate Finnish culture, such as the Finnish Pancake Breakfast, Finnish Cocktail Delights, and a Christmas party (Pikkujoulu). The FAHS also offers traditional Finnish craft programs, including weaving and wood carving.

If you are interested in visiting the museum, joining the FAHS or curious about upcoming events, click the link below.

Finnish American Heritage Society 

By Kathryn Baker-Davis