University of Alaska Museum

University of Alaska Museum

Photos Brian Adams Fairbanks 46a.jpg

Photos Brian Adams Fairbanks 46a.jpg

Welcome to the only research and teaching museum in the whole state of Alaska where your group will have the chance to marvel at a 2,000-year spectrum of ancient and modern Alaskan art. This facility is known as the leader in northern natural and cultural history and is visited by hundreds of thousands of guests per year. Designed by nationally recognized architect Joan Soranno, the University of Alaska Museum was created to capture the natural sense of Alaska. With a shape in the Alaskan skyline that is reminiscent of the surrounding alpine ridges and glaciers, this building is a known cultural landmark for locals and tourists alike. The facility focuses on ten separate disciplines of northern research including climate change, genetics, and natural contaminants, giving your group the most important and valuable information on Alaska in a nutshell.

Inside, your group will see everything from ancient ivory carvings to contemporary paintings and sculptures, as well as the largest display of gold in the nation. With over 1.4 million artifacts and specimens permanently displayed plus seasonal rotating displays, you won’t be running out of things to look at at this museum! Make sure you check out Blue Babe, the 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison, or head over to"‘the place where you go to listen," a room designed to let visitors study the unique lighting in Alaska, as well as the aurora borealis. The facility also boasts a wonderful on-site cafe where you can get a delicious hot dinner, as well as an expanded gift shop to pick up your Alaska native artwork, jewelry, or books.