The Alutiiq Museum has been officially recognized by the State of Alaska as a Natural and Cultural History Repository. The designation certifies that the museum maintains the highest standard of professional practice and is an appropriate place for the long-term care of Alaska’s patrimony. The Alutiiq Museum is the first repository in Alaska to achieve this status under a state law enacted in 2014. Alaska Statute 14.57.012 gives the Department of Education, through the Alaska State Museum, the ability to recognize qualified institutions as caretakers of Alaska’s cultural and natural artifacts.
“The Repository Designation legislation gives the state the ability to recognize institutions within the state that are exemplary in their care of collections. The Alutiiq museum is certainly one of our very best,” said Scott Carrlee, Curator of Museum Services at the Alaska State Museums
Alutiiq Museum Curator of Collections Marnie Leist explained the museum’s desire to participate in the program: “Many of the collections we hold don’t belong to the museum, but to tribal organizations, public agencies, and individuals. Organizations look to us to provide the long-term, professional care for artifacts, archival materials, photographs, and natural history specimens. When we learned of the new legislation, we wanted to attain state repository status to support this work and encourage the long-term curation of materials related to Kodiak here in Kodiak. The designation doesn’t change our operations. It simply provides an official stamp of approval for those seeking a place for collections care. It is a nice addition to our national accreditation.”
The museum’s Executive Director, Dr. April Laktonen Counceller said, “We are proud to receive this professional certification. The designation underscores the museum’s desire to maintain high standards and promote public trust in our work.”
Representatives will receive the Alutiiq Museum’s official certificate in October 2015, at the annual meeting of the statewide professional organization Museums Alaska.
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.
