Scout’s Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective Returns to the American Swedish Historical Museum for Its Second Season
Opening this Saturday, December 13, the Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective celebrates the Nordic sauna ritual—inviting Philadelphians to gather and experience Scout’s playful approach to placemaking
December 11, 2025 (Philadelphia, PA) — Scout, the Philadelphia-based design and development practice known for transforming places into platforms for community, creativity, and connection, has re-activated The Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective—three private cedar barrel saunas temporarily bookable for private groups–for its second season. Returning to the grounds of the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia’s FDR Park and realized in partnership with the institution, the Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective provides an experience of Nordic culture while nodding to a little known history.
The sauna pop-up takes its name from Ebba Sparre, the confidante and rumored love of Queen Christina of Sweden—one of history’s most unconventional, brilliant, and self-determined women. Queen Christina mastered eight languages before her teens, founded the world’s oldest continuously running newspaper, and ultimately abdicated the throne at age 28 following a refusal to marry. Drawing attention to an undercelebrated historical partnership that was intriguing both at the time and with a contemporary lens, the pop-up invites visitors to enjoy and commune with friends while exploring Swedish history.
“We see the sauna as a gathering space. A ritual. A moment to slow down together,” said Lindsey Scannapieco, Managing Partner at Scout. “Projects like this remind us how even small interventions can create powerful opportunities for connection.”
Last year’s debut was met with enthusiasm across the region and was named Best Winter Warmer 2025 by Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly Awards, cementing the Sauna Collective as one of the city’s most unexpected and joyful cultural moments. Each booking includes free admission to the American Swedish Historical Museum, offering guests the opportunity to learn more about Swedish culture and the traditions that inspired the installation.
The Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective is conceived, designed, and stewarded by Scout, reflecting their end-to-end approach to placemaking and community activation. As with all Scout projects—from the Bok Building to the Village of Industry & Art (VIA) on Broad Street—the Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective represents Scout’s belief that creativity is a civic tool. Temporary installations and buildings alike become containers for connection: platforms for new ideas, cultural exchange, and shared experience. This project, rooted in centuries-old Nordic ritual and a lesser-known chapter of world history, reframes the past through a contemporary communal lens—inviting Philadelphians to participate in a tradition that has long linked wellness, gathering, and cultural identity.
About Scout
Scout is a Philadelphia-based design and development firm nationally recognized for transforming buildings into vibrant, community-driven spaces. Guided by a philosophy of minimal intervention, Scout preserves the architectural character of existing structures while inviting in new creative, economic, and civic uses. Scout’s work demonstrates how adaptive reuse can be a powerful tool for cultural revitalization, affordability, and inclusive growth.
Scout’s portfolio spans temporary installations, hospitality concepts, and large-scale adaptive reuse projects - reimagining how spaces can become meaningful places for people to experiment, grow, and succeed together. The firm is best known for the Bok Building in Philadelphia—a 340,000-square-foot former vocational school now home to more than 200 artists, makers, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits—and 50 Sims in Providence, Rhode Island, a four-acre former industrial campus being transformed into a hub for artists, workforce development programs, and light manufacturing. Scout’s latest project, the Village of Industry & Art (VIA), builds on this model—reactivating an iconic former University of the Arts building on Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts into a dynamic ecosystem for artists, makers, and mission-driven organizations.
Founded in London in 2011 by Lindsey Scannapieco, Scout has grown into a nimble, multidisciplinary collective. Beyond buildings, Scout engages in bold, participatory public art projects like the Ebba Sparre Sauna Collective in Philadelphia and Watch This Wall in London—installations that spark connection and joy.
Media Contact
Sara Griffin
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