The below post was written by Autumn Merritt, Executive Director, Talkeetna Historical Society and Museum:
It was my privilege to attend the bi-annual Museums Alaska conference in Fairbanks at the end of September. I was also lucky enough to be awarded a scholarship from Museums Alaska, which covered a significant portion of the costs. This was the first conference I had ever been to, and I had no idea what to expect, but I was surprised and pleased by my experience.
The drive to Fairbanks was beautiful, and I got there in plenty of time for the opening event. It was held at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, which had a maze of exhibits that covered history and culture specific to the region. (I was amazed to find a copy of a BLM public use cabin logbook, which held an entry written in 1992 by friends of my mother…who I had met in New Hampshire more than twenty years ago! It truly is a small world.)
The theme of the conference was “Building Community” and the lineup of seminars and talks was impressive, and directly related to museum professionals. Many of the topics of conversation centered around how to engage the museums with the public – less about serving the community and more about being a part of it. This included a lot of discussion around the Native Alaskans who have inhabited our area for centuries, and how best to be stewards of our history without disenfranchising them. I felt the session on Board Engagement was particularly interesting, as it seems to be a universal challenge for organizations like ours. And I really enjoyed the presentations on the various capital campaigns and major projects being executed around the state. I left both inspired and humbled by the scope of the work the other museums were accomplishing, and full of determination to rise to the challenges we face.
The conference was mostly held at the Wedgewood Resort, which has incredibly nice rooms and even nicer staff. I especially enjoyed the old photographs all around the hallways, which showed historical scenes of Fairbanks. I was disappointed to miss the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, which wasn’t open the days I was there, but it just gives me a reason to go back.
Next time, I would be sure to get there on the first day in time for the hands-on workshops, which would have been fascinating. And the four hours I spent wandering alone around UAF’s Museum of the North was among my favorite experiences.
But the real delight of the time spent in Fairbanks, for me, was getting to know the other conference attendees. Our profession tends to be a little lonely, as nonprofits and museums sometimes do not have the funds to hire many people, so many of us essentially work alone. Meeting folks who have the same interests as I do was a unique and enjoyable experience. I made some great new friends, and we had a wonderful time finding new places to eat and common topics to discuss. I am really looking forward to the next Museums Alaska conference in two years, reconnecting with the people I met and being re-inspired all over again!
