Alutiiq Museum facts for kids

The Alutiiq Museum is a special place in Kodiak, Alaska. It is a non-profit museum and cultural center. Its main goal is to protect and share the amazing traditions of the Koniag Alutiiq people. These people are also known as Sugpiaq, and they are part of the Alaska Native community.

What is the Alutiiq Museum?

The museum is located on the first floor of the Alutiiq Center in Kodiak. It is one of four museums in Kodiak. The Alutiiq Museum is also one of the few "tribal museums" in the United States to be officially recognized for its high standards.

The museum offers tours for school groups and other visitors. You can explore its exhibits, see the research lab, and even peek into where they store their collections. The museum collects many different kinds of items. These include old tools, photos, films, and recordings. They also have notes from archaeologists and maps. All these items help tell the story of the Native people who lived in the Koniag Alutiiq area.

The Alutiiq Museum is a small place, but it holds a very large collection. It has almost 250,000 items! The museum uses these collections to help the Alutiiq community connect with their past. The Alutiiq Heritage Foundation supports and guides the museum. This foundation is dedicated to keeping the Alutiiq heritage alive and sharing it with everyone.

The Sugpiaq ~ Alutiiq Nation covers a large area in Alaska. This includes islands and coastlines in the central Gulf of Alaska. It also includes Prince William Sound, the outer Kenai Peninsula, and Kachemak Bay. The Kodiak Archipelago and the Alaska Peninsula are home to the Koniag Alutiiq people.

How the Museum Started

The Alutiiq Museum grew out of the Kodiak Area Native Association's (KANA) culture and heritage group. KANA is a non-profit organization. It was formed in 1966 to provide health and social services for Alaska Natives in the Kodiak region.

In 1987, KANA started a group to help with archaeological research on the island. This group also created educational programs about Sugpiaq ~ Alutiiq culture. They also held workshops on the Sugpiaq ~ Alutiiq language and arts.

In 1990, this group became the Alutiiq Culture Center. It moved into its own building. Many old items found during local digs were brought back to Kodiak. These items were then displayed in public exhibits at the center.

In 1993, KANA received a special grant. This grant came from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. It helped them create a modern place to store archaeological finds and do research. The museum officially opened in April 1995. It welcomed the public in May 1995. All the collections from the Alutiiq Culture Center were moved to the new Alutiiq Museum at that time.

KANA serves the City of Kodiak and six Alutiiq villages. These villages are Akhiok, Karluk, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, Port Lions, and Larsen Bay. A group of ten people leads KANA.

See also

• Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center
• List of museums in Alaska
• Sven Haakanson Jr. (former executive director of the Alutiiq Museum)
• Awa'uq Massacre
• Koniag, Incorporated