Alaska State Museums granted over $23,000 to Haines museums this week for equipment, personnel and future exhibits.
The American Bald Eagle Foundation will receive $6,293 for a mechanical lift to assist in cleaning and maintaining hard-to-reach exhibits. Museum coordinator Katelyn Dickerson said she was excited to use the lift, which will make cleaning taxidermy specimen easier and safer for staff. The foundation was previously using scaffolding for the job.
The Hammer Museum will receive $7,121 to fund its internship program. The museum has historically employed one or two interns for the busy summer months.
The Haines Sheldon Museum will receive $10,000 to help defray the cost of shipping museum pieces to Haines. Volunteer coordinator Madeline Witek said the Sheldon Museum is in talks with two large museums in the Lower 48 to borrow Tlingit artifacts.
Witek said old and valuable items can be pricey to ship and sometimes need to be escorted the length of the journey.