Wednesday, the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museum recognized the Alutiiq Museum with its 2016 Museum Institutional Excellence award. Established in 2007, this annual award recognizes an indigenous museum or museum service that demonstrates a significant commitment to the care, preservation, interpretation, and presentation of material cultural heritage.

The Alutiiq Museum was honored for, “its commitment to connecting people of all heritages to the Alutiiq language and culture, and for its efforts to build, preserve, and interpret collections that have opened a chapter of community history firmly closed for over a century.”

Alutiiq Museum Executive Director Dr. April Counceller accepted the Award at ATALM’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I was so proud to represent our people and our museum at ATALM. This annual gathering brings tribal people from across the U.S. together to discuss the ways we are preserving and sharing our Native heritage. To receive the award from an organization dedicated to advancing cultural preservation is so meaningful. It’s a pat on the back and a reminder that others recognize the good work our small museum does. I extend the museum’s sincerest thanks to our many supporters, whose contributions of time and funding make this important work possible. Quyanaasinaq – we thank you very much and share this honor with you.”[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]ATALM is a national non-profit that supports Native American cultural organizations. The Alutiiq Museum is the seventh tribal organization to earn ATALM’s Museum Institutional Excellence Award, one of nine annual awards that celebrate the nation’s leading heritage professionals and organizations. Past recipients are the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute; the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways; the Cherokee Heritage Center; the Makah Cultural and Research Center; the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum; and Dine College Ned A. Hatahli Cultural Center Museum.

The Alutiiq Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and culture of the Alutiiq, an Alaska Native tribal people. Representatives of Kodiak Alutiiq organizations govern the museum with funding from charitable contributions, memberships, grants, contracts, and sales.

Source: Alutiiq Museum

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