Best Memories from the University of Helsinki

Elina Anttila looks back on her student days at the University of Helsinki as a unique period in her life.

‘You could say that being a student is a special phase in life. At the University studying is connected with all those enormous changes you go through at that age when you gain your independence and start building your own life.’

In addition to certain memorable lecturers, studying full-time in itself has stuck in Anttila’s mind.

‘It was its own social world, when your main focus was on reading for exams and earning study points. During the day you would be studying at the library or meeting friends for coffee, and at night there was perhaps a party somewhere.’

Unsurprisingly parties have secured their place in her memories.

‘Of course student parties are something you will always remember. I wasn’t particularly involved in organising new activities, but I was all the more eager to join in.’

By Written by Tomas Sjöblom. Translated by Tomi Setälä. Revised by Joe McVeigh.

Elina Anttila

Anna Elina Anttila (née. Lähteenmäki)
Born April 11, 1963, Helsinki

BA 1990 (Art History, General History), PhD 2001 (Art History), University of Helsinki

Director General of the National Museum of Finland 2014-
Director of museum services at the National Museum of Finland 2013–2014
National Museum of Finland’s reorganization project director for the National Board of Antiquities 2013
Acting director general of the National Museum of Finland 2012
Director of museum development and information management at the National Board of Antiquities 2011–2012
Head curator of picture collections at the National Board of Antiquities 2008–2011
Researcher at the National Museum of Finland’s Collections and research division 2001–2008
Researcher at the Cygnaeus Gallery 1991–2001

Photo: Kristiina Mannikko
Written by Tomas Sjöblom
Translated by Joe McVeigh