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Alaska Native artifacts from closed museum to be distributed to organizations

June 21, 2018 | In the Press

From Anchorage Daily News (https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2018/06/20/alaska-native-artifacts-from-closed-museum-to-be-distributed-to-organizations/)

A collection of about 1,000 Alaska Native artifacts will be divided among Native organizations, a museum and other groups following the closure of a Fairbanks museum.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough will give away the collection this summer after the borough closed its Native Museum at Pioneer Park last month, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Tuesday.

Curators from the University of Alaska Museum of the North selected some items Monday from the collection that includes bones, tools, dishes, animal skins and masks. Items will also be given to the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics.

"The goal really is for people to be able to enjoy the collection rather than it sitting in an area where, unfortunately, it is not visited on a regular basis," Pioneer Park Manager Donnie Hayes said.

About five people each week had visited the museum in recent years, Hayes told the borough assembly last month. The borough decided to close the museum and rent out the space. Borough officials said they hope the items are preserved and enjoyed by more people at their new homes.

The borough will hold on to a few items such as birch baskets to display in the mayor's office.

Any items not claimed by the groups will be offered to the school district and to other Alaska Native organizations, said Lanien Livingston, the borough's public information officer.

"We want to make sure the items are in a location where they will be properly cared for and preserved for generations to come," Livingston said.

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