Resource Materials

Education Resources at the Pratt Museum - 2008

The Pratt Museum has thousands of natural and cultural history objects, and many programs to share with educators and lifelong learners. From traveling kits to our natural history tours, we’re sure you’ll find something interesting to share and experience with your students or come see for yourself!

Traveling education study kits (local use only): Each kit contains hands-on objects and information related to its topic, suitable for all ages and adaptable to enrich any lesson plan. There’s no charge to borrow a kit, but you must pick the kit up and return it to, or use it in the Museum yourself. Each kit is available to be checked out for up to one week, and only one kit can be checked out at a time. Please call or email us to arrange to borrow a kit, or to share it with your students here at the Museum. Current traveling education study kits include:

 RaptorsFOCUS Kit
 Forest Ecology
 Bones Treasure Chest
 Archeology
 Marine Invertebrates
 Marine Birds
 Marine Mammals
 Native Cultures
 Oil Spill
 Sea Otter

 

Collections access for students and researchers. Many of the Pratt’s collection items are available for hands on study in the Museum’s collection rooms. Access to the collections is only allowed by special arrangement with the Curator of Collections.

Research Library: We have a non-lending research library featuring Alaska natural history and cultural topics. You are welcome to browse and/or conduct research by appointment.

Education Media Collection: We have a collection of videos available for loan to educators, or for viewing in the Museum. Contact us with your subject need, or come in and browse our shelves by appointment.

Permanent Exhibits in the Museum include:
 Kachemak Bay: An Exploration of People and Place.
 The Marine gallery hosting live, intertidal animals.
 Darkened Waters - Profile of an Oil Spill.
 The Stewardship exhibit featuring brown bears and spruce bark beetles.
 Many taxidermy mounts and skeletons of area birds and mammals.
 Homestead and Homer history exhibits.
 And much more!

Outside Permanent Exhibits at the Museum include:
 The historic Harrington Homestead Cabin.
 The Botanical Garden.
 The Forest Ecology Trail.

Exhibit-based Tours: A diversity of tour topics and learning experiences are awaiting all-ages learners here at the Museum. You can design and request your group tour online, or contact us by email or phone to talk about special activities and exhibit-based special explorations.

Seasonal Education Programs: We offer several educational programs for elementary, middle school, and high school students, and offer many special topic education programs throughout the year. Please visit our online calendar to learn more about the following seasonal programs, or to learn about upcoming special topic programs:

 WHIZ Kids: Winter Hours Imagination Zone (November-March): A weekly after school workshop featuring hands-on activities in art, science, history and museum discovery. Preschool-Kindergarten meets Tuesdays 3:30-4:30, and 1st-6th grade meets Thursdays, 3:30-4:30 This drop-in program is FREE!

 High School Intern and Wintern Program: Each summer and winter, several students are hired to serve as Museum Interns working on a variety of education, science, art, or history projects. Contact us if you are interested in the program!

 Museum Docent Program: Join us in sharing the wonders of our community Museum with school kids and other learners. We have an ongoing Docent training program, and offer training in special topics too. Contact us for more information!

 Pratt Pods (June-August): Museum-based, natural history activities are offered on June 16th, July 21st, and August 18th from 1:00 to 3:00pm for kids in grades 6, 7, and 8. This drop-in program is FREE!

 The Object at Hand (June-August): Each Friday, Museum Docents will display a different object from the storage collection, and provide stories and insights about the featured “object at hand.”

 Fish feeding: Every Tuesday and Friday (all year, except January) at 4:00 people of all ages and interests are welcome to come help feed the marine animals in the Museum’s live tanks.

The Museum Store offers a unique selection of educational items and books, and all proceeds from the store help support the Museum’s programs!

For more information about the resources available to educators and lifelong learners, please contact us:

Pratt Museum/Education Program
3779 Bartlett Street
Homer, AK 99603-7579
Phone: (907) 235-8635
Fax: (907) 235-2764
Email: education@prattmuseum.org


Ryjil Christianson, Education Assistant rchristianson@prattmuseum.org