PRATT MUSEUM

established in 1968

Kodachrome Ritz Celebrates Vibrant Homer Community

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Kodachrome Ritz Celebrates Vibrant Homer Community

Homer, Alaska (October 10, 2024)
The Homer Society of Natural History, Inc. Hosts Signature Benefit Event at the Pratt Museum

On Saturday, October 5th, The Homer Society of Natural History, Inc. Board of Directors and the Pratt Museum staff were proud to once again bring people together for Kodachrome RITZ. “As a community museum, this was a special opportunity to bring people together in support of our facility and our educational exhibits and programs,” said Pratt Museum Executive Director, Patricia Relay, who was thrilled to be part of this year’s event.
Each gallery in the Museum held something special for attendees to experience while they sipped their wine and enjoyed hearty hors d’oeuvres. The Main Gallery featured special exhibition Rarefied Light 2023, a series of award-winning photographs from across the state of Alaska, as well as enchanting piano pieces performed by local musician, Erica Ono Hasche. Online and Live Auction items were displayed in the Marine Gallery. A live-art demonstration featuring local artist Sharlene Cline was held in the Gallery Kachemak Bay: An Exploration of People and Place, culminating in the creation of Japanese Shikishi rice paper panels painted with delicate fireweed blooms.
The event was a tremendous success thanks to the widespread support from sponsors, from the 44 businesses and individuals who donated auction items, and from the 110 community members who participated in the event. This vibrant community celebration helped raise nearly $17,000 in support of the Museum’s critical efforts to explore and preserve the traditions, cultures, science, and art of Kachemak Bay.
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. Our vision reflects our sense of place within our community; collaborative and inclusive. We strive to strengthen the interconnected relationships between people and place by sharing and preserving stories and materials relevant to the communities we serve. 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, Communications Manager, tel (907) 435-3328, email communications@prattmuseum.org
Download a printable PDF, here.

Pratt Museum Receives Scholarship Grant for Staff to Attend Museums Alaska 2024 Conference in Fairbanks

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Pratt Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Receives Scholarship Grant to Attend Museums Alaska 2024 Conference in Fairbanks

Homer, Alaska (August 8, 2024)
Olivia Wisnewski, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Pratt Museum, is the recipient of a $775.00 scholarship grant from the Donna Matthews Professional Development Fund

Pratt Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Olivia Wisnewski, is grateful be the recipient of a $775.00 scholarship grant from the Donna Matthews Professional Development Fund. These scholarship awards are generously supported by individual donors and auction income. This grant will allow Ms. Wisnewski to attend the Museums Alaska 2024 Conference beginning September 25th in Fairbanks, Alaska. The theme of this year’s conference is Building Community and will be a great opportunity to forge connections with museum professionals from across the state, experience hands-on learning, and expand the impact of the Pratt Museum in the Kachemak Bay Community.
About Museums Alaska In 1983, Museums Alaska became an official non-profit organization, after serving as a committee of the Alaska Historical Society since the 1970s. For over four decades, their commitment to strengthening museums and cultural centers in Alaska has grown, propelling them into a new era of growth and impact. More information is available at https://museumsalaska.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 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, Visitor Services, Store and Communications Manager, tel (907) 435-3328, email wharness@prattmuseum.org

Download a PDF of this press release, HERE.

Pratt Museum to Host Rarefied Light Exhibition

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Pratt Museum to Host Rarefied Light 2023

Homer, Alaska (July 17, 2024)

The Pratt Museum will host Alaska Photographic Center sponsored Rarefied Light 2023 Exhibition

Our final special exhibition of the year will open in our Main Gallery on October 1st, 2024 and be on display through January 5, 2024. A First Friday opening reception will be help at the Pratt Museum on Friday, October 4th, 2024 from 4-6pm.

Rarefied Light is Alaska’s largest annual fine art photography exhibition. Each year the Alaska Photographic Center seeks out a nationally recognized artist to jury the Rarefied Light show and present a public lecture and workshop. This year guest juror, Jennifer Spelman, selected 46 photographs by 35 artists for inclusion in this year’s exhibition, from a field of 391 entries by 65 artists.

About the Alaska Photographic Center Formed in 1983, the Alaska Photographic Center (APC) is a statewide organization with a mission to promote fine art photography in Alaska.  More information is available at http://akphotocenter.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 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, Visitor Services, Store and Communications Manager, tel (907) 435-3328, email wharness@prattmuseum.org

Download a PDF of this press release, here.

Pratt Museum Receives Strengthening Organizations Grant from the Alaska Community Foundation

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Pratt Museum Receives Strengthening Organizations Grant from the Alaska Community Foundation

Homer, Alaska (April 17, 2024) – Pratt Museum

The Pratt Museum, which is governed by The Homer Society of Natural History, Inc., is the Recipient of an $8,000 Strengthening Organizations Grant from the Alaska Community Foundation

The Pratt Museum is incredibly grateful to be the recipient of an $8,000 Strengthening Organizations Grant from the Alaska Community Foundation to conduct a Strategic Planning Retreat. This will be a great opportunity to bring existing and new team members together to discuss a full range of opportunity and challenges. The retreat will assist Board and Staff members in understanding our strengths and weaknesses as an organization. Sustainability not only requires sufficient funds, but talented and dedicated individuals to carve a path forward.

In 2023, the Museum underwent a transformation after facing challenges such as closures and high staff turnover. The Board of Directors hired a new Executive Director with years of experience leading arts and museum organizations. The Museum’s top priority at this time is to get their house in order and take action with their new team. After investing in many of its foundational organizational elements, including by-laws and development structure(s), revisiting and revising its strategic plan to reflect the current realities and perspectives within the organization is a critical next step.

The Pratt Museum strategic plan will guide all aspects of the organization’s focus and activities, from its mission, education, collections, and exhibits, to fundraising, operations, and community engagement. As such, the plan needs to reflect the full wisdom of the organization. It also needs to be readily accessible and understandable to everyone. Strategic planning will take place in person in Homer, ideally in early summer 2024.

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, Visitor Services, Store and Communications Manager tel (907) 435-3328, email wharness@prattmuseum.org

Download PDF of this press release here.