Apparently, rumors are swirling around town about a recent Haines Sheldon Museum rental. The museum has always been available for respectful event and program rentals using a fee schedule set by the museum board. This spring the museum was rented by a group served by traveling ministers. They have rented the museum before. Advertisements made it sound like the museum was hosting church meetings. We are solely the location, and not involved in the organization’s programming.
For all rentals, a museum staff person is present in the building to ensure the safety of the exhibits and collection. This particular group has been respectful and appreciative of the museum, many of them coming into our building for the first time, so this was an opportunity for our exhibits to be seen by a new audience. We are grateful for their support of the museum.
Many folks in Haines don’t realize that the museum, not the borough, pays for building operations – heat, electricity, water, snow removal, exhibit construction, collections care, staff office supplies, public openings and educational programs – out of raised funds. We must raise $100,000 annually to keep our facility operational. For improvements – such as our new compactor storage shelving, new security system, and new exhibit – we raised another $100,000 last year. One source of raised funds is building rentals. We are always happy to provide a private space to those who are respectful of our facility. Please feel free to call me if you have further questions.
Helen Alten
Museum Director