The Nolan Center experienced a 42% revenue increase this tourism season over the previous year. That’s noted in an administrative report shared with the Wrangell borough assembly last month. The increase came after cruise ship berths for the 2026 season nearly doubled from the previous year.
The center hosts a variety of community events including markets, educational presentations and monthly movies. But its main source of revenue comes from visitors to the museum.
Here’s Director Jeanie Arnold.
We’re really grateful for it because it helps us make up some of the revenue that the city obviously subsidizes the Nolan Center for operational costs.
She says they saw the most growth – a 62% increase – across walk-in guests. These independent guests pay more than guests visiting as part of a tour group, who receive discounted admission for groups of 10 or more.
They also saw a nearly $70,000 increase in gift shop sales from the previous year.
Arnold, originally from Anchorage, had worked in behavioral health for a decade before stepping into her role as director in 2023. She said that, although she had some tourism industry experience like many Alaskans, she had no prior experience working with museums. For that she was able to seek mentorship through a nonprofit called Museums Alaska, but she said the museum is a small part of her overall work at the center.
“Jeanie was the very first director I hired, and she’s been a phenomenal Nolan Center director,” said Borough Manager Mason Villarma, “All the credit goes to her for increasing the revenues.” ]
Borough Manager Mason Villarma says that the long-term goal is for the Nolan Center to become completely self-supporting. He says the borough currently subsidizes the center by about a quarter-million dollars annually.
That’s about 10% of our current tax base for property taxes. That’s a pretty heavy proportion, especially when we struggle to find money for roads and critical infrastructure priorities.
Any other costs are covered by the Nolan Center Trust established by James and Elsie Nolan.
As the borough works to bolster independent tourism, Villarma says he could see a future where a robust tourism industry could make it possible to reduce the amount the borough has to cover.
