Advocacy Week Showcases Museums’ Importance

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT

Museum Advocacy Day was on Tuesday and a handful of representatives from Kodiak’s museum community spoke on KMXT’s Talk of the Rock about the week-long push to garter support for local, statewide and national museums. Tiffany Brunson is the interim executive director of the Baranov Museum and said a lot of the action on museum advocacy day occurs in Washington D.C.

— (Museum Advocacy 1 :23 “Essentially I think … they’re advocating for.”)

One is funding for the State Library, Archives and Museums project, or SLAM.

— (Museum Advocacy 2 :21 “They’re also looking … internship program.”)

Sven Haakanson is the executive director of the Alutiiq Museum and said the day, or week, isn’t just about asking for funding, but highlighting what museums bring to individual communities.

— (Museum Advocacy 3 :38 “Well advocating for the … Juneau right now.”)

Toby Sullivan is the director of the Kodiak Maritime Museum and said Kodiak’s museums are ahead of the curve in terms of what they provide. He said there are a lot of changes happening nationwide in how museums operate and convey information.

— (Museum Advocacy 4 :43 “Well I think that, me and … that they lived.”)

Brunson, Haakanson and Sullivan all agreed that supporting local museums is more than contributing financial dollars. They encouraged Kodiak residents to volunteer, visit or at the very least stay informed on what is going on with each museum.
The Baranov and Alutiiq Museums are both currently closed. The Baranov will reopen in March and the Alutiiq Museum will remain closed for renovations until its grand opening on April 5.

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