VALDEZ MUSEUM & HISTORICAL ARCHIVE to Join Hundreds of Citizen-Lobbyists TO MAKE THE CASE FOR MUSEUMS ON CAPITOL HILL From Across the Country Feb. 27 – 28, 2017
Valdez, Alaska, January 11, 2017 ─ Michelle Cullen & Patricia Relay of the Valdez Museum & Historical Archive will travel to Washington, D.C. February 27 – 28 to petition our government and make the case for museums.
Joined by other museum leaders from Alaska, Cullen and Relay will be visiting members of Congress and their staff to make the case for federal support of America’s museums. They will be among more than 300 museum professionals and supporters from across the country participating in the seventh annual Museums Advocacy Day, organized by the American Alliance of Museums.
Cullen and Relay are rising to the occasion to educate elected officials and inspire support for museums, at a critical time—just as the new Congress begins its work.
“Today, legislators have a lot of issues on their plates, and we can’t expect them to fully appreciate our field unless we bring the message to their doorstep. We are intent on making sure Congress knows about the vital work museums do, and their role as educational and economic assets.”
|
|
Cullen and Relay cited the programs of the Valdez Museum provides to Valdez and the importance of the Valdez Museum to the community.
Relay conveyed, “The Valdez Museum & Historical Archive is more than a place to store historical artifacts and beautiful works of art. The museum fosters a “sense of community” by sharing the stories of our lives here in the Prince William Sound area while allowing for easy interaction among community members at exhibits, lectures, and presentations. The museum functions as a place of ideas and education. Museums are a natural gathering place for a community and through a variety of activities and events provide a conduit that helps build and strengthen inter-connections within the family units and within the community at large.
We serve two primary audiences. In the spring summer and fall, approximately 14,000 tourists from the Lower 48 and other Alaskan regions along with members of the international community visit Valdez and the museum. And throughout the year, the museum serves a local audience of approximately 4,000 residents.”
