List of museums in Alaska

This list of museums in Alaska is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Museums[edit]

Name Town/City Borough Region type Summary
Alaska Aviation Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Aviation Historic aircraft and aviation history of Alaska
Alaska Jewish Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Religious Alaska Jewish Culture
Alaska Museum of Science and Nature Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Natural history Website, dinosaur skeletons, fossils, rocks, geology, wildlife
Alaska Native Heritage Center Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Alaskan Native Showcases the indigenous culture of the Alaska Natives, including tools, watercraft, clothing, art, drums and more
Alaska State Museum Juneau Juneau Southeast Multiple Alaska Natives, history, natural history & art
Alaska State Troopers Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Law enforcement Commemorates Alaska State Troopers & features a variety of historical memorabilia, including a restored 1952 Hudson Hornet patrol car.
Alaska Veterans Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Alaska's Military History Commemorates Alaska's Military History, Honor our veterans, educate our visitors. Features large collection of Oral Histories, Exhibits on The Forgotten War, Eskimo Scouts (ATG), Muktuk Marston, The Last Shot, Cold War, Nike Site, Vietnam, Korean War, Modern Conflicts.

Website

Alfred Starr Cultural Center and Museum Nenana Unorganized Interior Alaskan Native Website
Alutiiq Museum Kodiak Kodiak Island Southwest Alaskan Native Koniag Alutiiq heritage and culture
American Bald Eagle Foundation Museum Haines Haines Southeast Natural history Website, natural history of bald eagles and other animals in its environment
Anchorage Alaska Center Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Multiple Visitor center, exhibits on natural, historical, and cultural features throughout the state[1]
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Multiple Art, history & culture of Alaska; largest museum in Alaska.
Anvik Historical Society and Museum Anvik Unorganized Interior Local history [2]
Baranov Museum Kodiak Kodiak Island Southwest Local history Operated by the Kodiak Historical Society
Big Delta State Historical Park Big Delta Unorganized Interior Local history Includes historic roadhouse, museum of local history artifacts
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum Nome Unorganized Arctic Alaska Local history Website
Clausen Memorial Museum Petersburg Petersburg Southeast Local history Website, exhibits include fishing, merchants, businesses, Tlingit
Cordova Museum Cordova Unorganized Southcentral Local history Website, operated by the Cordova Historical Society
Dorothy Page Museum Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Local history City history
Duncan Cottage Museum Metlakatla Unorganized Southeast Historic house Facebook site
Eagle Historical Society & Museums Eagle Unorganized Interior Local history Website
Elmendorf Wildlife Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Natural history Small museum located at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Information, look for listing
Fairbanks Community Museum Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Local history Located in the former city hall
Fairbanks Ice Museum Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Art Ice sculptures
Fort Egbert Eagle Unorganized Interior Military Early 20th-century Army base buildings
Gold Dredge 8 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Mining Includes Tanana Valley Railroad ride to historic gold panning dredge
Hammer Museum Haines Haines Southeast Technology Features over 1,700 hammers and related tools, ranging from an ancient Roman battle axe to modern novelty hammers
Hope & Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum Hope Kenai Peninsula Southcentral Local history Website
Ilanka Cultural Center Cordova Unorganized Southcentral Alaskan Native Website
Inupiat Heritage Center Utqiaġvik North Slope Arctic Alaska Alaskan Native Recognizes contributions of Alaska Natives to the history of whaling. Contains exhibits, artifact collections, library & room where traditional crafts are demonstrated & taught.
Juneau-Douglas City Museum Juneau Juneau Southeast Local history Exhibits include gold mining, hydropower, skiing, outdoor recreation, fishing, politics and city history
Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center Kenai Kenai Peninsula Southcentral Multiple Website, operated by Arts Kenai, Alaskan Native, natural history, history, art
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Skagway Skagway Southeast Military Includes Mascot Saloon museum, historic Moore House
Knik Museum Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Local history Operated by the Wasilla-Knik Historical Society
Kodiak Maritime Museum Kodiak Kodiak Island Southwest Maritime Website, located in Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park
Kodiak Military History Museum Kodiak Kodiak Island Southwest Military WWII-era bunker and artifacts, history of Fort Abercrombie
Last Chance Mining Museum Juneau Juneau Southeast Mining Former gold mining camp
Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum Valdez Unorganized Southcentral Multiple Natural history, Alaskan Native artifacts, formerly the Alaska Cultural Center, operated by Prince William Sound College
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Juneau Juneau Southeast Natural history Exhibits about the Mendenhall Glacier
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Multiple Website, Alaskan Native culture, history and natural history of Interior Alaska
Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Multiple Website, transportation & industrial artifacts
Museum of the Aleutians Unalaska Unorganized Southwest Local history Website, local history and culture
Museum of the North Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Multiple Part of University of Alaska, art, history, culture, natural history
Northwest Arctic Heritage Center Kotzebue Northwest Arctic Arctic Alaska Multiple Natural and cultural history of the Western Arctic National Parklands[3][4]
Oscar Anderson House Museum Anchorage Anchorage Southcentral Historic house Built in 1915 by early Anchorage resident Oscar Anderson & became the first wood-frame house in Anchorage. Completely restored to 1915 appearance.
Palmer Museum of History & Art Palmer Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Multiple website, local history, culture, art
Pedro Gold Dredge Chicken Unorganized Interior Mining Historic mining dredge at Chicken Gold Camp & Outpost
Pioneer Aviation Museum Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Aviation website, history of interior and arctic Alaskan aviation, located in Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Interior Multiple 44-acre park, includes the Alaska Native Museum, Pioneer Museum, early 20th-century Kitty Hensley House, Tanana Valley Railroad Museum, SS Nenana, Wickersham House
Pratt Museum Homer Kenai Peninsula Southcentral Natural history Local history, natural history, art, culture
Prince William Sound Museum Whittier Unorganized Southcentral Multiple Website, WWII and Cold War military history of Alaska, 1964 earthquake
Seward Community Library & Museum Seward Kenai Peninsula Southcentral Local history website
Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center Haines Haines Southeast Multiple Website, history, art and blending of diverse cultures within the Chilkat Valley region
Sheldon Jackson Museum Sitka Sitka Southeast Alaskan Native Alaskan Native artifacts
Simon Paneak Memorial Museum Anaktuvuk Pass North Slope Arctic Alaska Alaskan Native website, history and culture of the Nunamiut Inupiat
Sitka Historical Museum Sitka Sitka Southeast Local history Formerly the Isabel Miller Museum, focuses on Sitka's history from the Tlingit people, through the European explorations & Russian era & after.
Sitka National Historical Park Sitka Sitka Southeast Multiple Includes Tlingit ethnographic items, Tlingit & Haida totem poles, Russian American historical & archaeological collections, 1843 period Russian Bishop's House
Skagway Museum and Archives Skagway Skagway Southeast Local history [5]
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Southeast Natural history Visitor center for the Tongass National Forest, ecology, economy and culture of Southeast Alaska and its temperate rainforest ecosystems
Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum Delta Junction Unorganized Interior History Early 20th-century roadhouse with period exhibits, photos[6][7]
Talkeetna Historical Society Museum Talkeetna Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Local history Website
Tongass Historical Museum Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Southeast History Website
Totem Heritage Center Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Southeast Alaskan Native Traditional arts and crafts of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures
Trapper Creek Museum Trapper Creek Matanuska-Susitna Southcentral Local history Website
Valdez Museum Valdez Unorganized Southcentral Local history Website
Wrangell Museum Wrangell Wrangell Southeast Local history Website
Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center Bethel Unorganized Southwest Alaskan Native Local history of Yup’ik and Alaskan Athabaskan
Alaska SeaLife Center Seward Kenai Peninsula Southcentral Aquarium https://www.alaskasealife.org/

Defunct Museums[edit]

  • Russian Orthodox Museum, Anchorage, closed in 2009[8]
  • Alaska Heritage Museum by Wells Fargo, Anchorage[9]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Anchorage Alaska Center". Alaska Public Lands Information Centers. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Anvik Historical Society and Museum". Museums USA. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Remote Parklands, Accessible Experience New Northwest Arctic Heritage Center Opens in Kotzebue". Alaska geographic. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Northwest Arctic Heritage Center, Kotzebue, Alaska". National Park Service. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Skagway Museum & Archives". Alaska.org. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum". Visit Delta Junction. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Sullivan RoadhouseHistorical Museum". Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Russian Orthodox Museum in downtown Anchorage to close". Anchorage Daily News. July 14, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  9. ^ Mogilevets, Ruslan. "Anchorage". Wells Fargo History. Retrieved 2021-02-02.

External links[edit]