Alutiiq Museum to plan new exhibit gallery

This planning project is part of a three-year renovation, which will convert the museum’s entire first floor into a public space for cultural exploration. 

According to Alutiiq Museum Executive Director April Laktonen Counceller more than 500 people responded to a survey asking what direction the museum should take. The answer was more educational space. 

“Our patrons want more exhibits and to see more artifacts,” she said. “They want a gathering and workshop space, so they can create in the museum, and they want a larger store to showcase and access Alutiiq art. The renovation project accomplishes all these goals, and it will nearly double our gallery space.” 

The museum plans to form an exhibit advisory committee to help with the renovation. The museum will also host a series of public meetings to discuss themes and methods of presentation. Sarah Asper-Smith, owner of ExhibitAK, a Juneau-based design firm hired to lead exhibit planning, will facilitate the meetings. 

The planning process will result in a draft exhibit script, a list of objects and images to be exhibited, concept designs and a budget. 

“Our goal is to create the exhibits our community wants to see, to tell stories that are important to our people,” Counceller said.  “In recent years, we’ve been asked to share recent Alutiiq history. The museum has focused on introducing people to the Alutiiq world and our ancestral culture. However, it is important to identify the forces that shaped our community—like education systems, epidemics, the formation of Native Corporations. The new exhibits will provide room for such stories, as well as space for short-term displays like juried art shows and visiting shows.”