About Us
Mission Statement
The Soldotna Historical Society and Museum presents and preserves Soldotna's homesteading heritage by acquiring, preserving, curating, and presenting buildings, stories, and collections in a way that creates meaningful and educational experiences to the public.
Vision Statement
We envision creating a strong and engaged local community built on an understanding of Soldotna’s past, while enhancing the quality of life for all visitors by increasing appreciation for the history of Soldotna.
History of the Museum
The museum concept and preservation of homesteading heritage was started in 1962 by Mae Ciechanski and others, without whose generosity and drive there would be no Soldotna Historical Society & Museum, Inc. The Soldotna Historical Society & Museum was officially incorporated on Dec. 24, 1986 with seven incorporates and five board directors. As of 2021, the Society has seven board directors.
The Museum’s collections primarily consisted of donations from local families, many of whom had homesteaded for their land. These donations included both natural and cultural history. A card catalog system began in 1967, and donations were processed this way until 2009, when Past Perfect Software became the primary way of recording information about collections. The Museum boasts a healthy variety of objects capable of expressing the many aspects of homesteaders’ and Alaska Natives’ lives.
How Pick.Click.Give. makes a difference
With your generous contributions made through Pick.Click.Give to the Soldotna Historical Society and Homestead Museum, we may
• Accept donations, grants and legacy gifts as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization directed by an unpaid volunteer board
• Safeguard, preserve and exhibit artifacts showing Soldotna’s homestead heritage in our collections and maintain the oral histories of Soldotna's first residents
* Educate Alaskans and visitors via lectures, curated events, newsletters, emails, and the soldotnamuseum.com website
• Expand homestead collections through acquisition of art, photos, artifacts, and documents
• Host free exhibit tours, youth field trips, and talks
Contributions also support innovation and new ways of looking at the culture and environments of the Soldotna homesteaders.
Thank you!
