Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum

Collecting stories

The new Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum showcases the incredibly diverse Alaskana collection that Maxine Whitney amassed from the 1940s-1970s. With little provenance information, no curator, and a desire to show the collection in its entirety, this was an unusual project.

Unusual projects demand unique solutions. AldrichPears Associates worked with the College and Maxine to develop a story that would unify the collection. The subsequent design takes visitors on a journey to see Alaska through Maxine's eyes, while touching on the larger story of making art, collecting, and representation.

Location: Valdez, Alaska