Pratt Museum facts for kids
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Current museum building as seen from Bartlett Street.
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The Pratt Museum is a cool place in Homer, Alaska. It's a natural history museum that shows what life is like around Kachemak Bay in South Central Alaska. The museum's main goal is to save "the stories of the Kachemak Bay region." They do this using special collections, fun exhibits, and programs about culture, science, and art.
Inside the museum, you can see exhibits about early settlers, traditions of Alaska Natives, and art from local artists. You can also learn about the amazing plants and animals that live in Kachemak Bay. Outside, there's an old cabin, beautiful gardens, and a nature trail to explore.
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Museum History
The Pratt Museum started with a group called the Homer Society of Natural History. This group officially formed in 1965. The museum first opened its doors in 1968. The building was designed by a company from Anchorage.
How the Museum Started
A local artist named Sam Pratt had many interesting items. His collection helped inspire the creation of the society. Hazel Heath is also known for helping to start the museum. She was the treasurer of the society from 1968 to 1983. She was also the mayor of Homer from 1968 to 1976.
Sam Pratt and his wife, Vega, gave the land where the museum was built. Sam Pratt was also the museum's first volunteer curator. A curator is someone who takes care of a museum's collections.
What You Can See: Exhibits
The main exhibit at the Pratt Museum is called Kachemak Bay: An Exploration of People & Place. This exhibit teaches you about the different cultures that have lived in Kachemak Bay. It also shows what life is like there today.
Journey Through Time
The gallery has exhibits that take you on a journey through time. You can learn about the first Alaska Natives who lived there. Then, you'll see how homesteaders settled the land in the 1930s and 1940s. Finally, you'll discover how fishing keeps the Kachemak Bay area going today. This includes towns like Homer, Kachemak City, Seldovia, Halibut Cove, and Anchor Point.
Live Wildlife Camera
One of the most exciting things to see is a live camera feed of Gull Island. This camera lets you watch seabirds like puffins, cormorants, and murres. You can control the camera yourself using a touchscreen at the museum. The SeeBird Camera, also called the Gull Cam, is also available online during the summer. However, only museum visitors can control it.
Fun Activities
The museum also offers many fun, hands-on activities. You can help feed the fish on Tuesdays and Fridays. During the summer, you can take tours of the harbor on the Homer Spit on Fridays and Saturdays.
Beautiful Gardens
As of 2021, the Pratt Museum has made its Botanical Garden even bigger and better. It has more than 150 different plants that grow naturally in the area. There's also a small Homestead Garden. This garden shows plants that were important to farmers and settlers on the Kenai Peninsula.
Future Plans: Expansion
The Pratt Museum has been planning to build a new facility. This new building will be on their 9.8-acre property. It will give them more space for exhibits and for storing their collections. The new building will also be all on one level. This means no stairs or elevators are needed, making it easier for everyone to visit. The museum's Board of Directors decided to support this new building. They started designing it in 2010.
