maxine and jesse whitney museum
DESCRIPTION
The Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum showcases the incredibly diverse collection that Maxine Whitney amassed from the 1940s to the 1970s. With no provenance or curator and a desire to show the collection in its entirety, this was an unusual project that demanded a unique solution. Our design approach unified the collection by taking visitors on a journey to see Alaska through Maxine's eyes, while touching on the larger story of making art, collecting, and representation.AldrichPears Associates Ltd | Interpretive planning and exhibit design for museums, science centers and zoosTRANSCRIPT
The Maxine and Jesse Whitney MuseumValdez, AK
A woman, her story and her collection For 30 years, Maxine Whitey amassed an eclectic collection of Alaskan objects. With little or no provenance, no curator and a mandate to exhibit the entire collection, the fundamental challenge the Museum faced was finding a unifying concept for interpretation and display.
APA worked with Prince William Sound Community College and Maxine to develop a compelling concept that celebrated the collections, the artists who created the works and the woman who collected them. The result was an exhibit that takes visitors on a journey through Alaska as Maxine saw it from the 1940s to the 1970s, while touching on the larger stories of making art, collecting and cultural representation. Visitors encounter towering bears, vignettes of life in Alaska, masses of mukluks, ivory miniatures and much more, while being prompted to question the impulse to collect and how it relates to their lives. APA developed the Museum’s exhibit concept, produced design documentation and managed the fabrication and installation of exhibit components.