Pratt Museum Receives Grant from The Homer Foundation
Pratt Museum Receives Grant from The Homer Foundation
Homer, Alaska (January 15, 2026) – Pratt Museum
The Pratt Museum is the Recipient of a $5,000 Award from the Martha H Briscoe Environmental Science and Conservation Fund and the Opportunity Fund at the Homer Foundation.
The Pratt Museum is grateful to be the recipient of a $5,000 grant award from the Martha H Briscoe Environmental Science and Conservation Fund and the Opportunity Fund at The Homer Foundation. This contribution will support the Pratt Museum Research Library and Resource Center Modernization Initiative.
For decades, the Research Library at the Pratt Museum has been an invaluable resource for students, scholars, independent researchers, and curious community members looking to dig deeper into topics relevant to the Kachemak Bay Region. Some of the resources available include books, archives, periodicals, journals, as well as video and audio collections, all directly related to the mission of the Museum and the materials in the Museum’s collections. While some of the resources are timeless, a large number have become outdated or redundant, and take up valuable space that could be filled with new and emerging research. In addition, modern technology was never incorporated into the space, leaving gaps in efficiency that decrease the Research Libraries relevance among modern users.
The Pratt Museum Research Library and Resource Center Modernization Initiative will provide a much needed update, transforming the space into an accessible and inclusive comprehensive research resource center. This grant will provide the funds needed to purchase contemporary academic literature relevant to our collection materials and mission-driven educational programming, update the library catalogue system, and to purchase and install a new overhead projector with USB and Bluetooth compatibility to facilitate collaborative use, presentations, and group viewing of digital resources. We will also host a community event upon completion of the initiative, “Research Resources 101: Exploring the Pratt Museum Research Library and Resource Center Open House”, which will provide community members with a chance to meet our staff, explore the newly updated Research Library and Resource Center, and learn more about what we have to offer.
About The Homer Foundation Established in 1991, The Homer Foundation was the first community foundation of its kind in Alaska. The mission of The Homer Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of the greater Homer area by promoting philanthropic and charitable activities. Learn more by visiting their website https://www.homerfoundation.org
About the Pratt Museum The mission of the Pratt Museum is to strengthen relationships between people and place through stories relevant to Kachemak Bay. It fulfills its mission by facilitating engagement between community members and strengthening understandings of our shared place. Through these activities, the unique relationship between the people and places of Kachemak Bay will be sustained far into the future. The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am to 4pm. Beginning May 5, 2024, the Museum will be open daily from 10am – 6pm. Visit the Pratt Museum at 379 Bartlett Street in Homer. Tel (907) 235-8635. More information is available at https://www.prattmuseum.org/.
Contact Whitney Harness, Executive Director, tel (907) 435-3333, email director@prattmuseum.org
New Special Exhibition Coming to the Pratt Museum in January 2026
New Special Exhibition Coming to the Pratt Museum in January 2026
Homer, Alaska (December 12, 2025)
The Pratt Museum Will Host a New Special Exhibition From the Kodiak Maritime Museum Titled “50 Years of Limited Entry: The Closing of Alaska’s Salmon Commons”.
PHOTO: The traveling version of “50 Years of Limited Entry: The Closing of Alaska’s Salmon Commons” on view at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building in Juneau, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums, March 2025.
The Pratt Museum’s new special exhibition will open in the Main Gallery on January 9, 2026 and be on display through May 17, 2026. In honor of the exhibit, the Pratt Museum will host a Curator Talk on Saturday, February 7, featuring a presentation by Kodiak Maritime Museum Curator and exhibit designer, Toby Sullivan, followed directly by a community conversation session in which all guests are welcome to share their own experiences with the Limited Entry Program in Alaska.
50 Years of Limited Entry examines the origins and effects of the Limited Entry Program in Alaska. As much a social engineering program as a conservation effort, the story of Limited Entry is both instructive and cautionary. In addition to the 50 Years of Limited Entry exhibit panels, this exhibition will feature art, photographs, and materials from the Pratt Museum’s permanent collection.
About the Kodiak Maritime Museum Incorporated in Alaska in 1996 by a small group of commercial fishermen, the Kodiak Maritime Museum’s mission is to recognize, preserve, and interpret Kodiak’s maritime heritage. To make 50 Years of Limited Entry, Kodiak Maritime Museum conducted archival research and interviewed fishermen and fisheries policy makers. Juneau’s Exhibit AK designed the exhibit panels. Support for the exhibit comes from the National Park Service and Alaska Office of History and Archeology, Alaska State Museum Grant-In-Aid, City of Kodiak, Kodiak Community Foundation, Kodiak CHARR, Kodiak History Museum, and individual supporters of Kodiak Maritime Museum. More information about the exhibit and the Kodiak Maritime Museum is available at https://www.kodiakmaritimemuseum.org/.
About the Pratt Museum The mission of the Pratt Museum is to explore and preserve the culture, science, and art of the Kachemak Bay region. The Museum is open daily from 10am-6pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day and Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-4pm the rest of the year. Visit the Pratt Museum at 3779 Bartlett Street in Homer. Tel (907) 235-8635. More information is available at http://www.prattmuseum.org/.
Contact Whitney Harness, Executive Director, tel (907) 435-3333, email director@prattmuseum.org
Executive Director Hired for Pratt Museum
Executive Director Hired for Pratt Museum
Homer, Alaska (October 27, 2025)
The Pratt Museum Welcomes Whitney Harness as New Executive Director
The Board of Directors of The Homer Society of Natural History, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Whitney Harness as the Executive Director of the Pratt Museum. Her appointment was effective Friday, September 26, 2025. Harness has worked at the Pratt for the past two years, serving as the Visitor Services, Store, and Communications Manager and most recently as the Interim Co-Executive Director.
“Whitney brings a wonderful depth of knowledge and insight to her role at the Pratt Museum,” said Sue Fallon, President of the Board of Directors. “Her passion, empathy, and connections to the community are invaluable, and we are thrilled to welcome her leadership as the Pratt Museum moves forward into our next chapter.” As the Executive Director, Harness will oversee the Museum’s daily operations, strategic initiatives, and continued engagement with the local community and beyond.
Her work experience includes management positions in cultural and tourism-related industries in Alaska and her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in History as well as graduate-level coursework in Education. Whitney was born and raised in Alaska and has lived in Homer since 2016.
“I am honored by the opportunity to serve as the Executive Director of the Pratt Museum,” said Harness. “The Pratt has been a beloved community anchor for over fifty years, and I am committed to both celebrating the Museum’s legacy and driving forward with fresh perspective to engage a new generation of museum patrons.”
About the Pratt Museum The mission of the Pratt Museum is to explore and preserve the culture, science, and art of the Kachemak Bay region. The Museum is open daily from 11am – 4pm every Tuesday – Saturday September 2, 2025 through May 23, 2026 and 10am-6pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visit the Pratt Museum at 3779 Bartlett Street in Homer. Tel (907) 235-8635. More information is available at http://www.prattmuseum.org/.
Contact Sue Fallon, President, The Homer Society of Natural History, Inc. Board of Directors, email prattboard@prattmuseum.org
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