Among the Open House Tallinn volunteers are many wonderful people, including corporate client manager Annely Metsala. What are her memories and why join as a volunteer – read more below.
How long have you been a volunteer at Open House Tallinn (OHT)?
I’ve only been a volunteer at OHT once, but I’ve been interested in the festival for many years. It just so happened that last year I saw the call for volunteers at the last moment and decided to apply.
Why is being a volunteer at OHT important to you?
The OHT event has appealed to me for a long time. My husband and I are both interested in architecture – especially in the fascinating details that you wouldn’t notice when just walking down the street, or wouldn’t know to notice. And of course, in the stories connected with the buildings. I wanted to join OHT as a volunteer because it seemed even more exciting to be “on the inside”! I enjoy learning more about my home city – and what could be better than sharing that knowledge with other curious people.
Share a nice story or memory from OHT.
When I signed up as a volunteer, the only roles left were as an attendant. So I chose a familiar building where one of the guides had a name I recognized. On the introduction day, it turned out that this familiar name really was familiar: my dance classmate from almost 20 years ago! The reunion was wonderful, and we clicked right away like old friends.
The introduction to the building was really fascinating, even though I had been there several times before. Encouraged by my friend, I decided to prepare as if I were a guide myself – and I got completely hooked on learning more and more about the building.
Although I was officially an attendant on the festival day, it quickly became clear that I was needed as a guide for the very first tour. The building was very complex, and I was the only one who already knew it well enough not to get lost in the endless corridors and locked doors. So I ended up being a “guide to the guide,” helping them navigate. The first group was so large that it stretched along the corridors, and during the tour we formed a kind of tandem: me leading at the front explaining the building, and the guide at the back doing the same. A rare tandem-stereo-tour! Later we split the tours between the three of us, and our one attendant kept picking up more visitors from the street. In fact, I had secretly dreamed of being a guide…
At first, I wouldn’t have dared to sign up as a guide – it was my first time after all – but there was no need to worry. The preparation at OHT is thorough, and the team is supportive and friendly. I had always liked the idea of being a guide, but thanks to OHT I realized how much I truly enjoy it and how well it suits me. Now I’m taking steps to do it more often than just once a year.
What do you value most in architecture?
I appreciate both old and new buildings. The architecture of old buildings fascinates me because of the history behind it – why exactly this way and not differently? You might not always find an answer, but it’s interesting to try to understand and search for clues in history. In new architecture, you usually can find the answer to that question, but what intrigues me then are the fresh perspectives, creative expressions, and technical solutions.
Open House Tallinn will take place on October 11 and 12, 2025. Join as volunteer here.
