Comanche National Museum Exective Director Phyllis Wahahrockah-Tasi and Intertribal Software President/CEO Ida Wilcox accept the OMA Top Website Award.
For the second year in a row, the Comanche National
Museum and Cultural Center has received statewide recognition
for excellence from the Oklahoma Museums Association. CNMCC is the
recipient of a 2010 OMA Award for "Best Website" for www.comanchemuseum.com. The museum is the only
tribal museum in the state of Oklahoma to be honored by OMA this
year. In 2009, the museum took top honor for "Best Promotional
Piece" for the television commercial "Celebrating Josephine
Wapp."
The OMA Awards will be presented during a luncheon Sept. 24 at the
Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City as part of the Oklahoma
Museums Association's Annual Fall Conference.
"Hours of research and preparation went into the creation and
design of our website. It's humbling to know our hard work is not
going unnoticed," said CNMCC Executive Director Phyllis
Wahahrockah-Tasi.
CNMCC's website blends history and culture with today's technology.
The concept for the award-winning site was a collaborative effort
between museum management and Intertribal Software Consultants,
Inc., www.intertribalsoftware.com an American
Indian-owned company based out of Durant, Okla. The site offers a
number of features unique to the online museum world including a
Comanche language component, an online art gallery, and a
multimedia section for educational videos.
The website's most distinctive feature is a three-dimensional
component that allows visitors the chance to examine Comanche
artifacts as if the items were being held in their hands. CNMCC is
currently the only museum in Oklahoma using the 3D
technology.
In 2010 alone, CNMCC's website has been viewed by people in 53
countries including Japan, New Zealand and Kuwait. "It's important
that our website is educational and cutting-edge," Wahahrockah-Tasi
said. "Our site provides us with an opportunity to teach Comanche
history and culture to people all over the world. It's our chance
to tell our story."
Presented annually, the OMA Awards recognize outstanding
achievement by museums and individuals throughout the state during
the past year. Award categories include exhibitions, promotional
piece, publication, website, newsletters, conservation projects and
education programs. The competition is divided into four budget
categories. In addition, certificates of recognition honor the
contributions of an individual, group, or business to Oklahoma
museums or a specific museum or community.
With more than 500 members, the Oklahoma Museums Association
supports Oklahoma museums in their efforts to educate, inform and
entertain. OMA is headquartered in Oklahoma City. For more
information on OMA and its programs, visit www.okmuseums.org or call (405) 424-7757.