A chunk of money might help bring the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum enter modern times.
Manatee County commissioners unanimously voted June 6 to approve a $100,000 grant from the tourist development council to AMIHS.
The funds include $62,000 to reimburse the cost of consulting services to “guide the AMIHS in identifying a strategic vision and creating a plan to strengthen the capacity of the organization,” according to the grant agreement.
Funding also includes $38,000 for administrative costs at the museum.
Barbara Murphy, vice president of the AMIHS board, told The Islander June 8 that the historical society sought the consulting funds to reimburse the cost of hiring Brynne Anne Besio, managing director of Vero Beach-based fundraising corporation Carter.
The Carter company was cofounded and is currently chaired by former Anna Maria resident Bob Carter, husband of Carol Carter, a former city commissioner who served as AMIHS liaison.
Murphy said AMIHS chose Carter specifically due to the expertise of Besio, who served for 13 years as chief executive officer of the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton.
“We thought of her first,” she said. “We’ve met with her and she has a whole plan. … We are all volunteers from all different walks of life, so we really needed the guidance and direction from someone who is tremendously experienced.”
Murphy said Besio was helping to modernize the museum by reviewing its financial records, procedures, retail shop and exhibits for potential improvements, as well as pursuing additional grants to fund the changes.
Such changes could be the addition of earphones for visitors to hear about the museum’s exhibits, the creation of traveling exhibits and the improvement of the museum’s outdoor space, according to Murphy.
The remaining $38,000 of the grant will be used to fund a part-time employee at the museum, which has been run by volunteer docents for years.
The employee might work about three days a week by filling in as a docent, handling administrative tasks and assisting the historical society’s social media presence, according to Murphy.
However, the AMIHS still has to hammer out what they want from the position and when they would begin looking for a person to fill the post.
“We’d like to have it in place come fall,” she said.
AMIHS president Elizabeth Hager did not respond to a June 9 call and email from The Islander.
People can visit the AMIHS museum, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, at no cost 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays January-March and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays April-December.
The museum closes yearly for the month of September.
People can learn more about the historical society at amihs.org.