The Alutiiq Museum has been closed for over a year for construction. This year, the museum’s volunteer of the year award went to Lynn Walker, for her help during the renovation.
Walker was commended for providing insight on display designs and local history. She also helped Alutiiq Museum staff move objects and art when its collections storage was under construction.
She said she feels honored to be recognized, but mostly she hopes people will enjoy the new exhibits when the museum reopens.
“For me, it was like a no-brainer to volunteer,” Walker said. “And so, to be recognized for that is great, and I feel honored, but at the same time, volunteering is normal for me, like it’s a normal expectation for me.”
Walker has been involved with the Alutiiq Museum for years, even working on an excavation on Near Island. She’s also a curator at the Kodiak History Museum, and she’s working on her PhD in cultural anthropology.
As someone who works at another museum, Walker said she understands that volunteers are key to keeping museum staff from getting overwhelmed.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that a lot of the work that museums can do is because of the volunteers,” she said.
Walker added that volunteering is one of the best ways to get involved with museum work, or even start a career in it.
“For me, volunteering is a way to get experience and so I always advocate for people, if they’re interested in museum work or interested in being involved, just start volunteering,” she said.
The Alutiiq Museum is expected to reopen in May.