New Museum Project

Preserving the Human Story

The Valdez Museum has roots dating back to 1901 when Valdez prospector Joe Bourke gathered together a small exhibit of “curiosities” to display around town. Those objects are now part of the Museum’s core collection. As keepers of local history, we continue to collect objects, artifacts and especially human stories to document and share the rich history of our Prince William Sound region. Located in the heart of downtown, our new Valdez Museum building will be a cultural and community connector, plus be a significant part of downtown revitalization efforts and tourism expansion for Valdez.

Vision

To serve the Valdez community and global visitors, the Museum must design and build a new 21st-century facility. It will provide adequate storage for the community’s collections while creating a space for learning through exhibits and educational programming.

Need

The Museum has space limitations and is divided into two distinct sites. Both factors hinder Museum operations related to collections, exhibits, and educational programs.

Solution

Consolidate two aging, outmoded and undersized museum structures into a single new and larger building located on Valdez’s main street.
Improve operations:

• Reduce utility and personnel costs
• Upgrade environmental controls
• Create an accessible and safe environment for collections and visitors

Call To Action

We need your help now.
The Museum’s ongoing space needs, expansion of programs, and a five-year support agreement with the City of Valdez for building a new museum, make fundraising for this project now, both critical and timely. This project will increase our capacity to serve our community and further all visitors’ understanding of history, culture and tradition.