Kipper, who will begin her five-year term as director of ERM early next month, brings over 20 years of experience in the museum field.

A decade after working there as a collections curator, she rejoined the ERM team in 2023 as development director, overseeing the production of exhibitions, original programming, the events center, restaurant, museum shop and visitor services.

Her prior experience also includes roles at the Estonian History Museum, Maarjamäe History Center and Pärnu Museum, and she has also served on the board of the Estonian National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

Kipper holds a bachelor's degree in ethnology from the University of Tartu (TÜ) and a master's degree in landscape architecture from the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ). She has also studied ethnology at TÜ at the master's level.

'I clearly saw the potential'

Speaking with ERR on Wednesday, Kipper shared that in the near future, she will focus on ensuring ERM is an open, inclusive and transparent organization where it's a joy to work.

You start work as ERM director in early May. Why did you decide to apply for the position in the first place?

That's a very good question. Of course, this is a major responsibility and trust that's been placed on my shoulders. But there were two reasons I decided [to apply]. While working as ERM's development director, I very clearly saw the potential the museum has, as well as what the organization's needs are.

My focus has always been on people — both employees and visitors — so right now we're directing our attention to modernizing the organization, so that we have an open, inclusive and transparent organization where it's truly a joy to work. Of course, we also have a lot of work ahead of us to ensure that visitors always feel welcome in our building, that our exhibitions are engaging and inspiring, and that we succeed internationally too.

Those are the reasons I felt this was a challenge I wanted to take on.

Can you give a more specific example of what you mean by modernizing the organization?

I think we're currently in the process within the organization of reviewing responsibilities, trust and the division of roles, to make sure everyone feels they're working in the right place and doing the right kind of work. And all of this so that the result we all deliver each day is the best it can be, both for ERM and for Estonia.

We've already begun this work in-house: reviewing our guidelines and procedures, talking with people, trying to identify what areas need a more detailed look — so that everyone feels good at work. It's an ongoing effort.

Does this to some extent mean reviewing certain positions or departments within the structure, and whether they're necessary?

That kind of review is certainly part of the work in assessing whether we're doing the best possible job of what's expected of us. But I think that's routine work for any leader, and there's nothing unusual about it. I don't have any big goals in mind right now; I'm taking things step by step.

Even though I've worked here for more than two years already, I'll be meeting with all the staff, listening to their concerns, joys and dreams, to what's been left undone and what they'd like to do. And together with the whole team, we'll draw up a new development plan and goals for attracting new visitors and maintaining job satisfaction. It's a big job, and we're doing it together.

You mentioned that one reason you applied was that you saw a lot of opportunities for ERM. What opportunities are those? Focusing on taking your exhibitions to the international stage? Bringing in more international exhibitions?

Absolutely, that's one direction where ERM has already been very successful — for example, taking our fairy tale exhibition to Tampere. We actually have an obligation — it's our role to tell Estonia's story internationally as well. We can do this through research, our collections as well as exhibitions. One of my big goals over the next five years is to increase our visibility on the world stage.

ERM's previous director, Kertu Saks, also curated exhibitions herself. What kind of leader are you? Are you a hands-on director, or someone who oversees things from a distance, from your office?

I don't think it's possible to oversee anything from a distance at ERM. So yes, I'm definitely hands-on — but I won't be curating exhibitions myself. My focus will be first and foremost on the organization, and highlighting the strengths of the people who work here, so that together we can achieve the goals we set for ourselves.

ERM is certainly very ambitious, and we currently have the opportunity to set serious goals as part of our new development plan.

What might those goals be?

As I wrote in my vision statement and application, there are three major themes here for me. One is the well-being of the organization; the second includes education, our collections and exhibitions — ERM must always be focused on the visitor, including developing the family visit experience.

And the third stems from our collections. ERM is home to the world's largest Finno-Ugric collections, alongside our Estonian collections. It's a crucial way to call attention to what's in danger of being lost from our world — cultural diversity, and the existence and the well-being of small peoples. I see an opportunity for ERM to have a stronger voice in this area.

These are my visions — but what we decide together as a team could turn out to be something much bigger.

What will the Estonian National Museum look like in five years?

ERM will certainly be a celebrated destination and visitor attraction in Tartu and in Estonia, as well as more broadly in the region — a key destination for family visits. That's an area I definitely want to develop. Along with being more internationally visible by highlighting our exhibitions and collections.

I believe and hope that we'll be the best museum in the world, with the best work environment in the world.

You've mentioned a focus on increasing family visits. Is part of the challenge that, now that ERM has been open at its new location for years already, general public interest has tapered off — and families could be the next key target audience?

Yes, families are important — but we're speaking to everyone. The museum is always an open and accessible environment for all; perhaps we just haven't talked about families as much in the past.

Over the two years I've worked at the museum, I've made this a priority and worked hard toward that goal. But the museum is an accessible meeting place for everyone — we don't focus on any one target group so much that we'd forget the rest.

Next year will mark ten years in the new building, which is a considerable amount of time. Opening a new building always comes with a wave of excitement and public interest, then the COVID crisis hit us with a slump. And now we're back on the rise.

Tartu 2024 as the European Capital of Culture and our collaborative projects have definitely played a role in that, and our exhibition development efforts are also moving in an important direction: doing exhibitions that speak to the public and bring them back to ERM.

We're a museum, and our role is to tell stories through exhibitions.

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