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According to museum officials, this is a win-win partnership, as HAVN will provide the non-profit organization with a new additional revenue stream to help support its museum operations, programming, and heritage vessel conservation efforts, and its presence will also provide the area with more foot traffic activity and interest.

David Jordan, the executive director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, says the addition of HAVN in the area will “invite people to the museum site in a whole new way.”

“Public funding is essential to our survival, but government has not increased operating grants for arts and culture in decades. In this economic climate, our partnership with HAVN will help make up this shortfall in operating revenue,” said Jordan.

To create this facility, HAVN will repurpose a 1943-built naval barge built for the Second World War — identical to the barge used for its Victoria location.

The barge will be moored within the existing marina footprint, occupying the northernmost berth — an under-utilized water space. As well, Jordan notes that the barge’s positioning will serve the dual purpose of providing additional shelter for the marina’s existing docks and heritage boats, especially during winter storms.

For HAVN guests, the attractive location offers spectacular views of Burrard Inlet and the Strait of Georgia, the downtown Vancouver skyline, and the North Shore mountains. The marina is also the westernmost stop of Granville Island Ferries’ services.

This past May, the HAVN leadership team expressed deep pessimism in their ability with opening a Vancouver location, after their lease contract to use the Plaza of Nations dock in North False Creek fell apart after months of negotiations with the private property owner. This also forced HAVN to cancel the development permit application submitted to the municipal government for the specific location.

Over the longer term, under new ownership, the Plaza of Nations site is expected to see a significant high-density, mixed-use redevelopment.

“HAVN has been searching for the right Vancouver location for nearly two years, and we could not be more thrilled,” said Nicholas Van Buren, founder and CEO of HAVN Saunas, in a statement.

“Vancouver Maritime Museum’s harbour offers an iconic, meaningful setting; this partnership allows us to bring a uniquely captivating marine experience to the city.”

HAVN is aiming to open this Kitsilano location in the middle of 2027.

According to the cancelled application for the Plaza of Nations, the barge they have secured for opening a Vancouver location measures 150 ft. in length and 34 ft. in width.

The design of the company’s second barge at the Kitsilano location is expected to be highly consistent with what was previously envisioned for the Plaza of Nations.

Just like the Victoria barge, the Vancouver floating spa would carry sustainable design concepts of using salvaged ocean logs for the saunas and finishes without the need to cut down any trees. For example, the Victoria barge used about 33,000 board ft. of salvaged wood, and it is 100 per cent electric-powered.

The Victoria floating spa spans over 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area across two levels, including outdoor rooftop spaces. It features three saunas, two cold pools, two hot tubs, two outdoor showers, a relaxation cabin, an exfoliation shower, a garden patio, and universal change rooms.

As of early 2025, the company’s Victoria location has welcomed over 47,000 guests, with a year-one booking rate exceeding 95 per cent. To date, they also have a 4.8-star rating on Google Reviews, based on over 400 reviews to date.

The Vancouver Maritime Museum’s anchor attraction is the historic St. Roch vessel, which has been on display at the location ever since the museum opened on the Kitsilano waterfront in 1958. The museum is looking to begin construction in early 2026 on a major overhaul of the St. Roch Gallery — the first major renovation to the exhibit since 1974.

There were previously plans to relocate the museum and the St. Roch to a new major purpose-built National Maritime Museum on North Vancouver’s Lonsdale waterfront, but that vision fell apart in the early 2010s due to funding challenges.

About seven years ago, a concept emerged on potentially relocating the museum to a new modern and expanded facility integrated into mixed-use hotel and residential redevelopment of the Westin Bayshore Hotel on the Coal Harbour waterfront, but such a possible project led by property owner and developer Concord Pacific is not expected for the foreseeable future.

This past summer, Kitsilano Point saw the opening of a new and improved attraction, when the planetarium at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre received a major audio and visual technology overhaul to enable its nightly The Dome Vancouver immersive experience. The Dome’s programming, such as the return of Pink Floyd and other shows, is expected to run through at least August 2026.

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