The sauna of Mihkli Farm Museum has unusual dimensions. In the old times, the saunas in Hiiumaa used to be much smaller and had just two rooms. Here, however, we can already see a three-part sauna building. There was no need for a sauna of this size for one family, but in the old times, there was a nice tradition that the poor people from the neighbourhood could go to the saunas of the other residents. This is probably why this particular sauna is so big. Another possible explanation is that saunas were just built as big as the length of the logs used for making the walls enabled. “One mustn’t waste logs,” is how the Hiiumaa people put it in the old times. The exact age of this ancient sauna is not known, but 1910 was once recorded as its year of construction. However, since accidents involving fire often happened to smoke saunas, it is possible that it was the year when it was restored and rebuilt.

Sauna played an important part in the lives of Hiiumaa people – and not just because of the weekly washing day. Sauna was the place where women gave birth. It was also the place where the deceased was prepared for their final journey. It was the place where pimples were removed from children’s skin and also the place where they were punished – just in case. Sauna was also irreplaceable as a place where people were treated for their health problems. They were given massages and received cupping therapy; bloodletting was performed in the sauna; it is where people whipped themselves with a whisk against colds. Sauna was also used for doing the laundry, smoking meat, preparing meals in summer, and sometimes as a temporary residence.