About Us
Our Story
The Palmer Museum of History and Art (PMHA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, contracting with the City of Palmer to provide museum and visitor center services. Nestled inside two acres of downtown showcase garden, we offer visitor information services, curated historic displays, and exhibits that feature the talent of our local artists.
Founded in 2005 in an effort to preserve the City’s collection of historic artifacts, PMHA continues to serve and promote the history of the Greater Palmer Area. Our main building sits on land donated by Palmer resident Bill Hermann, and has served as a visitor center for the town since the 1960s. We are open year round: stop on by to visit!
Annual Report
Interested in our mission, activities and more? Download our annual report below.
Our Staff
Collections Manager - Richard Estelle
“I was born in Anchorage, Alaska and grew up on a small farm on the northern outskirts of Palmer, Alaska. Upon graduating from Palmer High School I attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in Horticulture with emphasis on Landscape Architecture. Upon graduation I embarked on a career with the USDA Forest Service as a Forest Landscape Architect & Land Management Planner. Most of my career was spent on the Tongass National Forest in SE Alaska. After retirement from the Forest Service I returned to the Palmer area and was employed for several summers with a major tour company, driving motor couches and conducting visitor tours. In 2009 I was employed as a Visitor Information Specialist at the Palmer Visitor Center and at the end of that summer season I was employed as a part-time manager of the associated museum collections. That arrangement continued much the same for several years and has evolved with my continuous employment into a focus mostly as the Collections Manager position on a half-time basis to date in 2021. I continue to live in the Matanuska Valley. I have two grown children of whom I am very proud.”
Get in touch at collections@palmermuseum.org
Collections Specialist - Dylainie Nathlich
Dylainie Nathlich has worked with PMHA since the fall of 2021 in several different roles. She received her BA in Art History/Studio Art and her MA in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University. Her thesis work involved curating a virtual exhibit of the Marin Headlands for the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. She has worked for many non-profits throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and South Central Alaska. These non-profits include, but are not limited to; the Talkeetna Historical Society and Museum, the Lyle Tuttle Collection, the San Leandro History Museum, and the Marin Museum of Bicycling. Dylainie is passionate about her community, wherever that may be. She enjoys researching and sharing the many stories that Palmer’s history holds! In her spare time, you can find Dylainie with her dog, Spartacus, exploring local trails together. Get in touch at collections@palmermuseum.org
Visitor Information Ambassador - Linda Llewelyn
Linda is usually the first person you meet when you enter the Visitor Information Center and Museum. She has greeted visitors from all around Alaska, the country, and around the world for the past five years. She was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Alaska with her husband. They drove the Alcan and arrived in Palmer in 1980. They continued their adventure living in Delta, then in Hoonah, back to Valley in 1993. She is a retired teacher. Her experience working at the Musk Ox Farm, a local store, makes her the perfect person to guide you on your trip. Linda says, “I just love meeting all kinds of people. When they visit, I want them to love Palmer. While they are in this building, people become friends."
Board of Directors
Current Directors
- President: Mari Jo Parks (joined PMHA in 2020)
- Vice President: Pat Chesbro (joined PMHA in 2015)
- Secretary: Erin Saunders (joined PMHA in 2019)
- Treasurer: Pamella Meekin (joined in 2023)
- Director: Felicia Desimini (joined in 2018)
- Director: Jake Carpenter (joined in 2023)
- Director: Dave Holmquist (joined 2023)
- Director: Tracy Verrall (joined in 2024)
- Director: Margaret Adsit (joined in 2019)
Support Our Mission
Membership
Join your community in supporting the Museum's mission & get more benefits with a membership.
Donate & Sponsor
Give to the Museum as an individual or business and help us continue to serve the greater Palmer area.
Volunteer With Us
Join us! Help conserve historic collections, lead tours, fundraise & use your unique skills.