Exhibit Upgrades
Preparing for History Exhibit Reinstallation

The temporary "Pioneer Exhibit" set up in the Elisabeth S. Hakkinen Gallery.

With the departure of New Harmonies we now have an almost-empty Lower Gallery in which to reconstruct the museum’s "pioneer" history exhibits. Three years ago, under then-director Addison Field, the museum developed an Interpretive Plan for upgrading all of the exhibits in the museum. Now we have an opportunity to act on that plan, and fully develop exhibits that will engage residents of the Chilkat Valley as well as visitors, and encompass the highlights of Haines’ history through a wide lens.

The museum staff has been discussing how we will approach this task and have concluded that organizing a series of exhibits covering specific topics may work out to be the best way to tell our stories. We have created a list of potential topics, and will begin by installing a broad general exhibit, similar to the one currently in the Hakkinen Gallery, that will be gradually refined by section or topic until we are satisfied. This will be a multi-year project, including lots of grant funding, volunteer hours, and staff hours.

One thing we would like to see in these new exhibits is some sort of interactive or hands-on component in each segment. These might include very “low-tech” things such as wheels that can be turned to explain a story, flaps to lift up to reveal answers to further explain a particular exhibit, a small bellows to give an idea of what the large bellows could do, a model of a “perpetual motion” machine to give visitors an idea of why the project was so intriguing to Carl Bjornstad and to the community. We could use help designing and building these interactive components.

We are planning more “high-tech” installations as well, providing snippets of history from our oral history archives, to allow visitors to hear the stories in the voices of people who lived them, adding music where appropriate, and providing a public access computer to allow visitors a more in-depth look at topics that might interest them. Further down the road, we’d like to add geographical “pod-casts” that would allow visitors to download information they can take to the spots where the stories actually happened.

We will be pouring through our collected oral histories, contacting and working with local historians and elders, and hosting some public meetings. We will also hold “soft” exhibit openings during which we will present what we have planned and ask for input from particular groups or individuals.

While we don’t have the space to thoroughly cover every aspect of Haines history, we are hoping to touch on the areas that have had the most impact on what Haines is today. Exhibits will begin with the Presbyterian Mission to the Chilkat People and end with “Haines today.”

Below is a list of potential topics. The Sheldon Museum welcomes public input and involvement. Please feel free to call, email us, or drop by and chat. The office is open 10-4 Monday - Friday.

List of Potential Topics

Deishu becomes Haines:

  • Haines Mission
  • Haines hospital
  • Haines house
  • Haines unincorporated (including purchases of land from mission)
  • Schools / Ripinsky’s business list for 1904 / Post office / churches, fraternal organizations (AB, ANB others) / recreation
  • Haines incorporated
  • Schools / library / Post office / planning, land-use, expansion, cemeteries, utilities, churches, fraternal organizations / recreation (daily life?)

Industries:

  • Trading posts / Stores
  • Fishing / Canneries
  • Mining
    o Porcupine
  • Agriculture
    o Anway, Rath, Vermiere, Jergeleits, others?
  • Timber
    o Schnables, Buster?
  • Tourism
    o Ft. Seward after sale

Military History:

  • Ft. Seward / Port Chilkoot
  • Pipeline & Tank Farm
  • Haines Highway (or in included in transportation?)
  • National Guard


Transportation & Exploration

  • Maritime
    o Steamships
    o Lighthouse
    o Harbor Boats
    o Ferries
    o Ship-wrecks (Clara Nevada, Princess Sophia, etc.)
  • Land
    o Chilkat trail becomes Dalton Trail becomes Haines Highway
    o Railroad
    o First car in Haines?
    o Winter transportation
    o Bridges / Cable crossing)
  • Exploration
    o Creation of Dalton Trail
    o “Mysterious 36”
    o Yukon Relief Expedition

Environment:

  • Isostatic Rebound
  • Bald Eagle Preserve
  • Cruiseships?

HAVE IDEAS? WANT TO HELP?

Please call the Museum
at (907) 766-2366 or email here.

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