The below post was written by Kristin O’ Lear, Executive Director, Kodiak History Museum:
Building Community: Lessons Learned from the Museums Alaska Conference
My recent move to Alaska has been an adventure in many ways, not least in its reminder of how essential community is to our lives and our work. Recently, I attended the Museums Alaska conference where the conversations around community building and participation in museums resonated with me on a profound level. This conference was a moment of growth—a chance to understand, connect, and learn about the unique ways museums in Alaska foster relationships with their communities.
Lisa Sasaki captured during her keynote address, From the Ground Up: Building a Strong Foundation for Community Collaboration the foundational importance of community, but also something I saw as the start of a larger conversation. Participation and community ultimately begin with those of us who work in museums; our roles are central to fostering that sense of belonging and connection within our organizations and beyond.
Museums in Alaska face unique challenges—operating in remote or extreme environments where building community is essential not just for our visitors but also for us, as museum professionals. This setting amplified the need for connection in a way I hadn’t fully realized before my relocation. Fortunately, Alaska’s museum community embodies kindness, generosity, and inclusivity, qualities that became immediately evident as I engaged with other conference participants. Meeting museum professionals from around the state and learning from their expertise showed me that this generosity isn’t just a quality of individuals but extends across organizations, creating a collective culture that strengthens us all.
One of the most inspiring takeaways from this experience was realizing how community-building happens not only within our museum spaces but also across the museum network. The relationships we foster—those ties, links, and bonds—serve as the foundation upon which we engage our visitors and grow our reach. The Alaska museum community demonstrated that we don’t just work within our institutions; we’re part of a shared mission. Together, we aim to support and uplift each other, creating an environment that encourages engagement and connection with visitors from all walks of life.
As I bring these insights back to the Kodiak History Museum, my goal is to translate this knowledge into deeper community connections with our own exhibits and programs. I hope that by implementing what I’ve learned, we’ll foster a greater sense of pride and ownership among Kodiak residents, allowing them to see themselves in our Museum and feel empowered to engage with our work.
