Wanha Neuvola’s Guesthouse is located in a historic building, originally completed in 1948 as the Health Center of Pieksämäki (then a small town). In the upper floor of the building, there were once three midwife apartments, while the ground floor housed a children’s health clinic. From the very beginning, the building has been an important part of local healthcare and the Finnish welfare society, which had just started to take shape during the post-war reconstruction years.

Building during that time was challenging due to scarce materials. Gravel was transported by horse-drawn carts, and the plot was elevated to bring the basement floor level with the street. Insulation was provided using sawdust and peat—methods that have helped maintain the building’s healthy indoor air quality to this day. In the early 1950s, a maternity clinic was opened on the upper floor, and the children’s health clinic on the ground floor served the families of Pieksämäki until the late 1970s.

In the early 1980s, the building became home to a Handicraft Advisory Center, which later evolved into Taito Shop. For a brief period, the building also housed an Eco Center before standing vacant for several years. In 2002, the building was purchased by Tarja Vatanen, who established the Ceramics Studio Rinssi-Ruuben. The ground floor was transformed into a lively ceramics workshop where, among other activities, the Seutuopisto ceramics groups gathered under Tarja’s guidance in the former play and waiting rooms.

In 2014, Wanha Neuvola’s Guesthouse opened its doors, and the building’s story started writing a new chapter.