Alaska Museums
Befitting the nation's largest
state, Alaska has dozens of museums spread from
Ketchikan to Kotzebue and from Unalaska to
Anchorage. Some feature art; others celebrate
Native culture; still others honor airplanes and
trains. Many museums are on cruise-line routes
along the Inside Passage. Starting from
Anchorage, the museum fan can reach two dozen
institutions within a half-day's drive. Almost
all the museums and cultural centers are free or
charge a token entrance fee.
Anchorage:
Alaska Aviation Heritage
Museum:
4721 Aircraft Drive, Lake Hood
907-248-5325
Hours:
May-Sept.: Daily 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Admission:
Adults $6; Seniors and military: $4.50; Children
7-12: $2.75; 6 and under free.
Description:
20 aircraft of various types including a 1928
Stearman C2B, a 1934 WACO YKC, a 1929 Travelair
6000B, a 1937 F-24-G, a 1937 Stinson SR9
"Gullwing," a 1943 Grumman Goose and a 1943 PBY
5A Catalina Canso. Exhibits include The Aleutian
Campaign during WWII; Wiley Post and Will Rogers;
the search for Carl Ben Eielson; historic polar
flights and much more. A selection of historic
aviation videos, pioneer pilots and their
achievements is shown in the theater. Museum shop
sells models, pins, clothing, stuffed animals,
postcards, jewelry and other items relating to
aviation. www.alaskaairmuseum.com
Alaska Museum of Natural
History:
201 North Bragaw
907-274-2400
Summer Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 9 am to 5
pm
Sunday: 12 to 5 pm
Closed Mondays
Admission: Adults: $5.00 Children: $3.00
Description: Largest exhibits of rocks, minerals
and exciting rare fossils in the state. Learn
about North America's oldest duckbill dinosaur
found in the local Talkeetna Mountains, as well
as our major dinosaur discoveries of the 90s.
Dioramas rich in ecology, large mammals and
birds.
www.alaskamuseum.org
Alaska Native Heritage Center:
201 North Bragaw
Toll-Free (800) 315-6608
Summer Hours: 9 am to 6 pm
Admission: Adults: $20.95 Children: $15.95 (Ages
7-16)
Free for children six and younger.
Description: An educational and cultural
institution for all Alaskans, the Alaska Native
Heritage Center provides programs in both
academic and informal settings, including
workshops, demonstrations and guided tours of
indoor exhibits and outdoor village sites. Local
residents and visitors to Alaska are introduced
to Native traditions and customs of both the past
and present. The Welcome House is a celebration
of contemporary Alaska Native cultures while the
outdoor facilities and sites allow the
exploration of ancient tradition and the
presentation of stories from the past. The Center
provides a unique opportunity to experience
Alaska's Native cultures in one location.
www.alaskanative.net
Anchorage Museum of History and
Art:
201 North Bragaw
907-274-2400
Summer Hours: Everyday: 9 am to 6 pm
Admission: Adults: $6.50 Children: ($2.00
Suggested)
Description: A world-class museum located in the
heart of Alaska's largest city, the Anchorage
Museum of History & Art began as a
public-private partnership to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the purchase of Alaska from
Russia. The Museum opened its doors in 1968 with
an exhibition of 60 borrowed Alaska paintings,
and a collection of 2,500 historic and
ethnographic objects loaned from the local
historical society.
www.anchoragemuseum.org
Statewide:
Alaska State Museum:
(Juneau)
395 Whittier Street
907-465-2901
Website: www.museums.state.ak.us
Summer Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, May
16 through September 23.
Winter Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through
Saturday, September 24 to mid–May.
Open free the first Friday of every month,
Oct.-April, from 4 until 6:30 p.m. Closed
holidays.
Admission: Summer $5.00. Winter $3.00. Those 18
and under are admitted free.
Description: Established in 1900, the Museum
collects, exhibits, and interprets the human and
natural history of Alaska. The Museum features a
full-size bald eagle nesting tree and extensive
ethnographic exhibits on the cultures of Alaska's
Native people. Two galleries offer changing
exhibits. Docent tours scheduled throughout the
summer. Arboretum on grounds features Alaska
plants. The Museum provides statewide museum
services and assists in the development of the
state's cultural and historic resources. The
Museum Store, operated by the Friends of the
Alaska State Museum, offers a wide array of
Native arts, publications, and educational
materials. Accredited by the American Association
of Museums.
www.museums.state.ak.us
Kenai Visitors & Cultural
Center: (Kenai)
201 North Bragaw
907-274-2400
11471 Kenai Spur Highway, Kenai, AK 99611
Hours: Open year round: Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m.
– 5 p.m.
with extended summer hours.
Admission: No admission fee – donations
accepted.
Totem Heritage Center:
(Ketchikan)
601 Deermont Street
907-225-5900
Hours:
Summer – Open every day, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.
Winter – Monday thru Friday 1:00 –
5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Closed
General Admission, $5 (May thru September
only)
Description: Visitors to the Totem Heritage
Center are awed by a world-renowned collection of
original, unrestored 19th century totem poles,
retrieved from abandoned Native villages near
Ketchikan. Additional exhibits illuminate the
rich culture of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian
people of Southeast Alaska. Located on Ketchikan
Creek, across from the Tribal Hatchery and Eagle
Center. Enjoy a totally Alaskan experience within
walking distance of downtown. Native crafts,
books, cards and gifts available in the shop.
Accredited by the American Association of
Museums.
Totem Heritage Center Website
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