(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - July 5th marked the much-anticipated first day for the new Curator of Exhibits of Ketchikan Museums, Steven Villano. Previous Museum Director Lacey Simpson, who resigned in May, led the effort to reinstate the Curator of Exhibits position.

In a news release, the Ketchikan Museums said they are excited to welcome Villano to the museum team as they are moving forward with renovations to the Tongass Historical Museum that will nearly double space for exhibits.

Villano not only brings a tremendous amount of experience designing and creating museum exhibits, he has grown deeply connected to the Ketchikan community and is very passionate to share the history of the First City.

With a foundation in art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Villano's interest in museums led to a focus in scenic art and a position in the exhibits department of the Field Museum. Bringing in his background as a musician as well as sound recording and engineering, Villano broke new ground by integrating sound into the collection and exhibits, transforming the museum experience. From there Villano was hired by the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco as a media consultant for a brand new building and exhibits. Continuing as an independent designer, Villano worked to develop several exhibits including the Money Museum in Mexico City, Brooker Creek Reserve in Florida and the Maritime Museum in San Francisco. Villano then took a post as the lead of exhibition preparation at the San Francisco International Airport Museum, creating fifty-two exhibits annually in twenty-five exhibit halls.

Welsh Whiteley Architects completed the 100% design documents for the first floor Centennial Building remodel in mid-May, marking an important milestone for Ketchikan Museums. A contractor will be hired this summer with construction beginning as soon as the doors close on the 2016 summer season.

In the meantime, staff are busy preparing to relocate hundreds of artifacts and photos that are currently on display as well as making room on the lower level for the reinstated Curator of Exhibits position, exhibit and program supplies and more.

The Tongass Historical Museum will be closed to the public during the first floor renovation of the historic Centennial Building this coming fall and winter.

Due to the demands on staff and the impact on access to the majority of the collection, the Museum is instituting a temporary moratorium on donations, research requests, and photo orders effective as of June 1 through December 31, 2016. If you are interested in making a donation to the Ketchikan Museums’ collection, contact the Museum for a Donor Questionnaire. Staff will review the form and will contact you after January 2017.

Questions about donation offers, research requests, and photo orders can be directed to Senior Curator of Collections, Hayley Chambers, at (907) 225-5600 or hayleyc@ktn-ak. us.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Ketchikan Museums
www.KetchikanMuseums.org

 

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