Leading a museum is about change management. Society and the University are changing, and the museum must respond to new challenges. Externally, the work of a director is composed of meetings, negotiations and administration work. In terms of content, what is central in my work is nevertheless the continuous development of a museum that creates something new. This occurs through fascinating interaction between colleagues, researchers and other individuals representing a diverse spread of fields, conditions and professions. As a team player, I am more than at home on this kind of playing field.

My previous career prepared me for my current role. As head of research at Espoo City Museum, I was responsible, among other things, for the development of the museum, and I participated in the planning of the WeeGee Exhibition Centre. Research work was divided into research into Espoo’s cultural environment and the study of the history of Espoo and the release of publications on the subject. For example, Aurora Karamzin – aristokratian elämää (‘Aurora Karamzin – the life of the aristocracy’) was chosen as Museum Book of the Year in 2006. Prior to Espoo, my work as a researcher basically consisted of various investigations, inventories and publications dealing with cultural environment and the history of architecture.

• “Sten Björkman: Kulttuuriperinnön vaalija” (‘Sten Björkman: nurturer of cultural heritage’), Kuukauden humanisti 9–10/2009, University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts