HAVN Sauna

HAVN’s vessel is a repurposed 1943 WWII naval barge, aligning directly with the Museum’s maritime mandate. The partnership also supports the Museum’s financial viability through new moorage revenue.

The Department of Fisheries (DFO) manages any environmental implications, along with the city’s environmental departments. Like any project that is in the water, the city requires DFO approval. For this approval, we will rely on the expert direction of environmental engineers. The current DFO regulations do not allow for any effluent from the facility to be discharged into the ocean. As with our Victoria facility, we will be connected to city sewer and water and managed by those regulatory bodies.

The Marina power, sewer and water services will be upgraded for the facility and it will open the opportunity for more necessary services for the current boat tenants.

Hydrotherapy is growing locally and internationally. HAVN enhances Vancouver’s wellness and tourism offerings, helping activate the waterfront and making Vancouver more vibrant and healthy. Council recently modernized wellness regulations to support this sector.

No, there is no alcohol served, and the guests come for a reflective, personal rest space.

HAVN reflects maritime history in a contemporary way — a reclaimed naval vessel restored for community use. The partnership provides financial resilience at a time when the Maritime Museum is facing the need for external revenue sources beyond Government Funding. HAVN will bring visitors to the museum site in a whole new way, encouraging their appreciation of heritage vessels in the Harbour and highlighting the museum as a hidden gem in Kitsilano.  

Heritage Harbour has:

• Existing moorage infrastructure
• Existing public access + parking
• Proximity to MOV, Space Centre, ferry service, transit
• A history of hosting culturally aligned vessels
• Alignment with the City’s goal to activate the waterfront with low-impact uses

HAVN enhances the Harbour without displacing the Museum’s purpose.

Not at all. HAVN operates on a historic WWII vessel, and many major cities integrate wellness into cultural waterfronts: Helsinki’s Löyly, Montreal’s Bota Bota, Oslo’s SALT — all are successful, beloved precedents.

HAVN is a small Canadian company based in Victoria. They exist to creatively design and build healthy third spaces that help people be more present and connected. Their Victoria location opened in 2023 and has been widely embraced by the community.

No — HAVN is completely privately funded.

The Vancouver Maritime Museum & HAVN are partnering to bring HAVN’s floating hydrotherapy vessel to Heritage Harbour.

HAVN offers a free-flow, leisure circuit. Enjoy your own personal wellness journey at your own pace. While HAVN provides a recommended hydrotherapy circuit path, everyone is different, and we want you to do what feels best for you. Enjoy every step of the experience, relax, and listen to your body.  A suggested hydrotherapy circuit path is 5–15 minutes of hot, 1–5 minutes of cold, and 10–15 minutes relaxing at a neutral temperature. The experience is quiet, social, and booked in scheduled sessions — no phones, no alcohol, no amplified sound. 

Yes — and it is one of Vancouver’s first new cultural/wellness attractions in many years.

It will not change operations, exhibitions, or public programming.
It strengthens the Museum’s future through new revenue and increased vibrancy.

No. The siting protects the Harbour’s character and purpose.

No. Access to docks, shoreline, and pathways remains fully open.

HAVN is low-noise, low-traffic, and low-impact. Sessions are scheduled and controlled.

No significant impact is expected. The experience is quiet and non-disruptive. HAVN will secure permitting from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure environmental safety. 

The Maritime Museum is adding a new waterfront experience that strengthens nearby cultural institutions, and contributes to the Museum District’s cultural and visitor economy.

We are targeting mid-November 2027.