Alaska museum closes after WWII mortar shell found in vault
Posted Feb 1, 2019 01:08:41 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A museum in southeast Alaska has temporarily closed after staff members were unable to confirm if a World War II-era mortar shell had been disarmed.
The Anchorage Daily News reports a staff member found the Japanese mortar round last week while sorting through the collections vault at the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center in Haines.
Museum director Helen Alten says they were considering using the shell in an upcoming exhibit featuring World War II battle art, but the item’s donation paperwork didn’t indicate if it was deactivated.
She says the shell is likely disabled, but because they couldn’t be sure, they notified police.
Explosives specialists were scheduled to visit the museum this week.
Alten says the shell has been in the museum’s possession for more than 20 years.
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Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com
The Associated Press
