Earlier this summer, the Talkeetna Historical Society Museum got a new manager.
For Autumn Merritt, running the Talkeetna Historical Society’s museum is the culmination of an earlier career goal that she thought she had left behind when moving to Talkeetna.
“I went to school in the hopes of working in a museum. It’s what I wanted to do. Directly after I graduated, I came here for the summer, and I never left. I pretty much figured that I would not end up doing what I had gone to school for. My grandfather is over the moon about it. So, when this came available, I definitely hemmed and hawed about it. I had a good job before, and I enjoyed it, but I’m so excited to be here.”
Merritt was hired by the Historical Society board after previous Executive Director Sue Deyoe retired this spring. She started working at the museum during the very busy summer season this June. The fast pace of tourism season in the Northern Valley means Merritt has had to keep pace with day-to-day demands while simultaneously learning her new job. She says she looks forward to things slowing down in a couple of weeks.
“I’m really looking forward to the winter time, when I can slow down a little bit. I can find my files and have a second to look in the archives and the collection….”
Eventually, Merritt hopes to build on what the museum already provides. Part of that involves adding exhibits and other elements that cater to a younger audience.
“The museum is great, if you’re old enough to read. But if you’re not, and we’ve got a lot of kids that come through, there’s nothing to touch. There’s nothing interactive.”
While tourism is inarguably the major driver of much of the local economy, Merritt hopes to get locals more involved in the museum as well.
“I feel like a lot of the locals feel like once you’ve been to the museum, you’ve seen it all, and there’s no need to come back. One of the things I’d love to do for this town is make it a little more relevant…have some events, have some reason for locals to come to the museum and really take pride in…their history. It’s their town.”
Part of that town history Merritt wants to emphasize is expanding the elements of the museum focusing on the building’s own history as a schoolhouse.
While those plans are all in the early stages, the Historical Society is also conducting its annual raffle. The drawing is scheduled for September 24th. More information is available at the Talkeetna Historical Society Facebook page.
