In 1993, KANA received a grant from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council to develop a state-of-the-art archaeological repository and regional research facility. The museum opened in April 1995 and opened to the public in May 1995. All archaeological, ethnographic, archival, photographic, and natural history collections from the Alutiiq Culture Center were transferred to the Alutiiq Museum at this time.