Press Releases

BP Makes Leadership Gift Toward Science at Museum

On Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, in the midst of celebrating the Anchorage Museum's construction progress, BP Alaska made a presentation of $500,000 to the Anchorage Museum expansion. The donation brings BP's total support to $600,000 for the project. The BP support is directed to the new general science exhibitions that will be featured in the renovated museum.

"We are proud to be making such an important investment in our community," said BP Alaska President Doug Suttles. "With this expansion, current and future generations of Alaskans will benefit from the enhanced space for the Imaginarium and the opportunity to discover the adventures of science through the new children's exhibits."

Duane Heyman, co-chair of the capital campaign, said that "this is a major boost to our close the gap campaign, which has raised $2.2 of the $5 million needed before the end of the year."

In recognition of their support, the museum will name the new Kinetic Space Gallery in honor of BP. The gallery will address a range of physics themes including Moving and Motions, Flying and Flight, Elements and Waves. Within these major themes exhibit modules will be self-guided and inquiry-based. Exhibit activities will allow visitors to build bridges, fly a small hot air balloon, and operate a cooperative machine.

The museum is adding science to its mission as part of its $116 million expansion, through which it will incorporate The Imaginarium, Alaska's only science discovery center.

The museum's expansion project includes a new building, exhibition space and an expanded endowment. The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London with Kumin Associates of Anchorage serving as the architect of record. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside of Washington D.C., temporary exhibit space, library and archives, and a new store and café. The existing facility will be located in the renovated facility in galleries 7, 8 and 9 (more than 6,500 square feet), formerly used for changing exhibitions.

Construction of the new wing is on schedule with soft opening slated for spring 2009 and grand opening in spring 2010. For more information, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

Museum's Topping-Off Celebration Promises Fun for Entire Family
Free public event bids farewell to Pat Wolf on eve of her retirement and celebrates the near-completion of framing of the new wing

Anchorage visitors and residents are invited to a Topping-Off Celebration at the Anchorage Museum from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, to recognize the near-completion of structural frame of the museum's new wing. This free family event features science, art and craft activities for all ages, refreshments and music by award-winning musicians Pamyua. In addition to showcasing the progress of the new wing, the occasion also marks the topping off of Museum Director Pat Wolf's career of 33 years of service and leadership to the museum. Wolf, a tireless champion of the museum and its expansion, retires Oct. 21. Free museum admission all day on Sept. 23 is sponsored by BP.

The expansion is possible thanks, in part, to more than 500 individuals, foundations, businesses and government agencies whose financial support has enabled the museum to reach its initial $16 million capital campaign goal. The museum is now launching a Close the Gap fund-raising campaign to raise an additional $5 million in community support by year's end for renovations to the existing museum which will house The Imaginarium as part of the expansion. Along with $1.8 million in matching grants from two private foundations, museum founder Mary Louise Rasmuson has issued a $1.5 million dollar matching grant for donations or pledge commitments made before Dec. 31.

The museum expansion includes a 70,000 square-foot addition, designed by David Chipperfield Architects of London with the Anchorage firm of Kumin and Associates serving as the architect of record. The expansion will allow the museum to display more of its current art and history collections and will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside Washington, D.C. The new structure will include temporary exhibit space, library and archives, and a new shop and café. The existing museum will be renovated to become the new home of The Imaginarium's hands-on science galleries. A beautifully landscaped 2-acre public plaza adjacent to the new structure will create an active, vibrant place for both outdoor exhibits and year-round recreation.

The expansion project's is set for completion in 2010. For more information on the Anchorage Museum expansion or on the fund-raising campaign, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

Conocophillips Makes Third Leadership Gift Toward Exhibitions in Expanded Anchorage Museum

ConocoPhillips made a third grant of $100,000 to the Anchorage Museum expansion, bringing its total support to $300,000 for the project which encompasses long-term exhibitions of Alaska Native artifacts from the Smithsonian and the incorporation of general science that will be featured in the renovated museum.

In recognition of this support, the museum will name a changing exhibition gallery, located in the new wing outside the Arctic Studies Center, in honor of the company.

This gallery will feature small changing exhibitions of historical and ethnographic themes, and will frequently present contemporary Native art from the permanent collection. This is one of the strongest collections held by the museum, and it will be a bridge between the museum's Alaska Gallery, which presents Alaska's state history, and the Smithsonian's Arctic Studies Center.

The Alaska Gallery is the most visited portion of the Anchorage Museum today, with 20,000 students from area schools and thousands of summer tourists visiting each year. The Arctic Studies Center is a centerpiece of the new wing.

"ConocoPhillips is proud and excited to be involved in the museum's expansion and in this gallery with an important changing collection of art," said Jack Griffin, vice president of external affairs. "We are committed to supporting projects like this that provide a rich cultural experience for all Alaskans."

The museum's $116 million expansion project includes a new building, exhibition space and an expanded endowment. The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London with Kumin Associates of Anchorage serving as the architect of record. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside of Washington D.C., temporary exhibit space, library and archives and a new store and café. The existing museum will be renovated to become the new home of The Imaginarium's hands-on science galleries.

Construction of the new wing is on schedule with an expected completion date of spring 2010. For more information, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

TOTE to Provide Major Shipping Assistance for Anchorage Museum Expansion

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) recently announced it will provide shipping assistance estimated at $500,000 to ship construction materials for the Anchorage Museum expansion. The museum's new Young Learner's Discovery Center will bear TOTE's name in recognition of the donation. The Young Learners Discovery Center will offer hands-on exploratory activities in art, history and science for toddlers to pre-school age children.

The Museum's $116 million expansion project includes a new building, exhibit space, extensive landscaping and an expanded endowment. The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London. Kumin Associates of Anchorage is serving as the architect of record. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside Washington D.C., a library and archives, a new store and a café. The present museum will be renovated to become the new home of The Imaginarium's hands-on science galleries, the TOTE Young Learner's Discovery Center, expanded classrooms and office space. The expansion project's anticipated completion date is set for 2010.

TOTE has long partnered with the museum to provide shipping assistance for exhibitions, including Hunters of the Sky from the Science Museum of Minnesota and A T. Rex Named Sue from the Field Museum in Chicago. A privately owned shipping company serving Alaska since 1975, TOTE operates a fleet of roll-on/roll-off cargo ships offering twice weekly service between the Ports of Tacoma, Washington and Anchorage, Alaska.

For more information on the Anchorage Museum expansion, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

ConocoPhillips Funds Major Exhibitions Featured in Anchorage Museum Expansion

The Anchorage Museum gratefully acknowledges ConocoPhillips for making two grants totaling $200,000 to support Alaska Native and hands-on science exhibitions that will be featured in the expanded museum. The exhibitions include the Smithsonian's Arctic Studies Center exhibition displaying hundreds of artifacts from the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of the American Indian; and interactive general science exhibitions on a variety of topics ranging from the natural environment to the physics of flight and optics.

ConocoPhillips has supported a number of museum exhibitions including: The Living Tradition of Yup'ik Masks; Science Under Sail: Russia's Great Voyages to America, 1728 - 1867; Eskimo Drawings; A Northern Adventure: the Art of Fred Machetanz; Tibet: Mountains and Valleys,Castles and Tents; Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition; and A T-rex Named Sue.

"ConocoPhillips' longstanding commitment to the communities in which it operates reflects a belief that no individual or corporation can be a good citizen without becoming involved," said Jack Griffin, vice president of external affairs. "We do that by exercising imagination, donating time and skills and providing financial support."

The Museum's $116 million expansion project includes a new building, exhibition space and an expanded endowment. The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London with Kumin Associates of Anchorage serving as the architect of record. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside of Washington D.C., temporary exhibit space, library and archives and a new store and café. The existing museum will be renovated to become the new home of The Imaginarium's hands-on science galleries.

Construction of the new wing will begin in spring with an expected completion date of spring 2010. For more information, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

Wells Fargo makes $100,000 grant to Anchorage Museum expansion

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - The Anchorage Museum is pleased to announce receipt of a holiday gift of $100,000 from Wells Fargo for the museum's expansion project.

"As we get closer to our fundraising goal, this most generous contribution from a long-time museum partner helps inspire others to participate and helps transform the museum for generations of Alaskans," said Museum Director Pat Wolf. "We particularly appreciate the support of Richard Strutz and Susan Kernes in garnering this magnificent gift for the project."

Alaska Regional President Richard Strutz and Susan Kernes, the bank's Alaska contributions manager, presented the gift Dec. 19 to Wolf and Museum Building Committee Chair Brian Davies. "The Anchorage Museum is vitally important to preserving and perpetuating Alaska's unique history and sharing Alaska's cultures and arts with the world," said Strutz. "Wells Fargo is proud to support the Anchorage Museum in its efforts to bring Alaska Native artifacts back home and create an enhanced museum experience."

The Museum's $116 million expansion project includes a stunning new building, exhibit space, extensive landscaping and an expanded endowment. The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London and Kumin Associates of Anchorage. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside Washington, D.C. and a new home for The Imaginarium, Anchorage's science discovery center.

Groundbreaking for the new wing took place last August. Construction is slated to begin in spring 2007 with completion in 2010. For more information on the Anchorage Museum expansion, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

Kresge Foundation Makes Challenge Grant to Anchorage Museum Expansion

Anchorage, Alaska -- The Kresge Foundation approved an $800,000 challenge grant offer to the Anchorage Museum's expansion project. This grant was made as a challenge to assist the museum's capital campaign team in raising the balance of funds to meet the $16 million campaign goal and total project funding goal of $116 million. It offers a strategic opportunity for the Anchorage Museum to connect with its stakeholders and to reach out to new donors, volunteers, participants and the general community in meeting this challenge.

The Anchorage Museum has been engaged in a capital campaign since June 2004 and has raised over $13 million in commitments toward the $16 million goal from private individuals, businesses, foundations and now, The Kresge Foundation. This challenge grant comes at an important time; the museum is in the final architectural design stages for a new 70,000 square-foot wing that will expand its capacity to present exhibitions and to store and care for collections. Groundbreaking took place on Aug. 20, 2006.

The new wing is designed by David Chipperfield and Associates of London and Kumin Associates of Anchorage. It will include the first Smithsonian Institution facility outside Washington D.C. and a new home for The Imaginarium, a hands on children's science discovery center.

The expansion will make possible:

• the exhibition of several hundred Alaska Native artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. in the Arctic Studies Center;
• new changing exhibition space that will host Alaskan and national exhibitions of art, history and science;
• interactive learning about the natural and physical sciences through relocation of The to the museum;
• improved visitor services with a new orientation gallery, shop and café;
• a two-acre common featuring an ice rink in winter and outdoor gathering spaces to the west of the museum that can host festivals, outdoor exhibitions and recreation opportunities year-round;
• needed storage and working areas for the museum's growing collections, the conservation of art and artifacts, research and exhibition preparation.

John E. Marshall, II, President and CEO of The Kresge Foundation, indicated that "in this cycle of grantmaking, our Trustees were pleased to support a range of organizations reflecting almost the entire breadth of the nonprofit sector. This diverse group is responding to the new challenge presented by their communities or sustaining activities that have demonstrated their effectiveness."

The Kresge Foundation's core grant making activity is its capital challenge grants program. In this program, the foundation focuses on opportunities to strengthen leadership and giving through challenge grants for capital projects. Projects supported include the construction and renovation of facilities, acquisition of property, and purchase of equipment.

Grant recipients have raised initial funds toward their respective projects before requesting foundation support. Kresge grants are then made on a challenge basis, requesting the raising of the remaining balance, in this case $3 million dollars, by Dece. 31, 2007. It is an "all or nothing" challenge.

Those who wish to help the Anchorage Museum reach its funding goal may contact Joy Atrops-Kimura, capital campaign director, at (907) 343-6175, or visit the expansion section of the museum's Web site on http://www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion.

Anchorage Museum Breaks Ground on Expansion -
Community comes out to celebrate

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - Aug. 22, 2006 Groundbreaking for the Anchorage Museum's latest work of art - a $116 million expansion project that includes a stunning new building, exhibit space, and extensive landscaping, and an expanded endowment - took place Sunday, Aug. 20, 2006, at 1 p.m. on the lawn adjacent the museum and museum annex. A free community celebration with live music, entertainment, history, art and family activities took place indoors immediately following the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Mayor Mark Begich, Governor Frank Murkowski and Senator Ted Stevens were among the dignitaries to address the crowd, as well as Ed Rasmuson, Brian Davies, Daphne Brown, and Mary Louise Rasmuson. Bob Reeves, President of the Atwood Foundation, presented a leadership gift to the museum for the expansion.

More than 1,500 residents and visitors came out to celebrate the groundbreaking and enjoy live music by John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet; light refreshments; art, history and science activities for families; dance performances by The Young Alaskan Filipino Dance Group, Xochiquetzal-tiqun Dancers (Mexican), and Cupiit Yurartet (Alaska Native); face painting; balloon art; and live birds.

The expanded museum will adopt an integrated approach to the exhibition of Alaska and circumpolar North culture through the display of objects across the disciplines of science, history and art.

The 70,000 square foot museum addition, designed by internationally acclaimed architect David Chipperfield with the Anchorage firm of Kumin and Associates, will provide a new home for approximately 1,000 Alaska Native heritage objects from the Smithsonian's collections in the National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. In addition, the popular Imaginarium Science Discovery Center will relocate to the museum, bringing its focus on outreach and education to the museum while helping it incorporate experiential exhibits throughout the building. The museum's new exhibition spaces will be designed by the New York firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates.

The new building will make the museum more accessible to passers-by on C Street through a new main entrance and windowed galleries. The vacant 2-acre lawn adjacent the museum will be transformed into a beautifully landscaped public plaza designed by Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture that celebrates the environment while creating an active, vibrant place for both outdoor exhibits and recreation.

The expansion project's anticipated completion date is set for 2010. For more information on the Anchorage Museum expansion, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

Museum's Broader Mission Brings New Name

Museum to Break Ground on Expansion

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - July 10, 2006 - Groundbreaking for the Anchorage Museum's latest work of art - an expansion project that will enhance downtown Anchorage, transform the museum experience and provide space to collect and exhibit the art, history and science of Alaska - will take place Sunday, Aug. 20, 2006, at 1 p.m. outside on the lawn adjacent the museum and museum annex. A free public celebration with live music, entertainment, refreshments and family fun activities immediately follows indoors.

The museum's mission has expanded to include science, a natural evolution in a land where art, history and culture are deeply entwined with the environment. To reflect this change, the museum's name recently has changed from the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center.

The stunning, 70,000 square foot addition, designed by internationally acclaimed architect David Chipperfield with the Anchorage firm of Kumin and Associates, will allow the museum to display more of its current art and history collections and bring home to Alaska more than 1,000 important Alaska Native artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution. The museum's new exhibition spaces will be designed by the New York firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates.

In addition, the popular Imaginarium Science Discovery Center will relocate to the museum, bringing its focus on outreach and education to the museum while helping the museum incorporate experiential exhibits throughout the building.

The new building will make the museum more accessible to passers-by on C Street through a new main entrance and windowed galleries. The vacant 2-acre space adjacent the museum will be transformed into a beautifully landscaped public plaza designed by Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture that celebrates the environment while creating an active, vibrant place for both outdoor exhibits and recreation.

The expansion project's anticipated completion date is set for 2010. For more information on the Anchorage Museum expansion, visit www.anchoragemuseum.org/expansion or call (907) 343-6175.

NEH Makes Challenge Grant To Anchorage Museum

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - The Anchorage Museum, through the Anchorage Museum Foundation, was awarded a $300,000 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) challenge grant to be matched 3:1 to strengthen an endowed conservation fund that will support the salary of a full-time conservator. This project was designated as a We the People project, a NEH initiative that supports the strengthening of the teaching, study and understanding of American History and Culture.

This challenge grant comes at an important time for the museum; the addition of a conservator is part of a larger institutional transformation that is occurring over the next five years. The museum is in the final architectural design stages for a new 70,000 square-foot wing that will expand its capacity to present exhibitions and to store and care for collections. The addition of a professional conservator will significantly enhance the museum's ability to fulfill its mission of collecting, preserving, interpreting and educating about the art, history and culture of Alaska and the circumpolar North.

An early commitment toward this challenge was made by museum founder and long-term supporter, H. Willard Nagley, II. Nagley has supported conservation at the museum for many years and saw this initiative as critical to preserving the museum's collections of artifacts and objects for future generations.

The expansion will make possible:

• the exhibition of several hundred Alaska Native artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. in the Arctic Studies Center;
• new changing exhibition space that will host Alaskan and national exhibitions of art, history and science;
• interactive learning about the natural and physical sciences through relocation of The to the museum;
• improved visitor services with a new orientation gallery, shop and café;
• a two-acre common featuring an ice rink in winter and outdoor gathering spaces to the west of the museum that can host festivals, outdoor exhibitions and recreation opportunities year-round;
• needed storage and working areas for the museum's growing collections, the conservation of art and artifacts, research and exhibition preparation.

The museum is simultaneously building its professional staff with new curatorial positions in art and ethnography, strengthening its research, exhibitions, programs and publications in the humanities. A conservator on staff will not only insure proper collections care essential to preserving Alaska's cultural heritage, but the conservator will work collaboratively with the curatorial team to take the museum to a new level in its humanities scholarship and programming. In addition, the conservator would offer annual training workshops for staff in the many small tribal museums and cultural centers throughout the state.

This NEH Challenge is an opportunity to highlight the significance of preservation and conservation of Alaska's heritage. The museum is strongly committed to raising the funds needed to meet this challenge and to securing this crucial position in perpetuity.

For more information, call (907) 343-6175.

Anchorage Museum Exhibition Brings a Bit of
The Smithsonian to Anchorage

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