List of museums in Alaska facts for kids

Alaska is a huge state with amazing history, nature, and cultures! A museum is a special place where you can explore and learn about all sorts of cool things. These places collect and take care of objects that teach us about art, science, history, and different ways of life. When you visit, you get to see these amazing collections up close. This list will help you discover some of the fantastic museums you can visit in Alaska!

Awesome Museums in Alaska

Alaska Aviation Museum

Located in Anchorage, this museum is all about planes and flying! You can see historic aircraft and learn about the exciting history of aviation in Alaska. It's a great place to discover how planes helped connect this vast state.

Alaska Jewish Museum

Also in Anchorage, this museum shares the story of Jewish culture in Alaska. It's a place to learn about traditions and history.

Alaska Museum of Science and Nature

If you love dinosaurs and rocks, this Anchorage museum is for you! It has dinosaur skeletons, fossils, and exhibits about geology and wildlife. You can explore the natural history of Alaska.

Alaska Native Heritage Center

This amazing center in Anchorage celebrates the rich cultures of Alaska Natives. You can see traditional tools, boats, clothing, art, and drums. It's a fantastic way to learn about the indigenous people of Alaska.

Alaska State Museum

Found in Juneau, this museum covers many topics. It features exhibits on Alaska Natives, the state's history, natural history, and art. It's like a big treasure chest of Alaskan knowledge!

Alaska State Troopers Museum

In Anchorage, this museum honors the brave Alaska State Troopers. You can see historical items, including a restored 1952 Hudson Hornet patrol car. It's a peek into law enforcement history.

Alaska Veterans Museum

This Anchorage museum remembers Alaska's military history and honors its veterans. It has many stories from people who served. You can learn about different conflicts and special groups like the Eskimo Scouts.

Alfred Starr Cultural Center and Museum

Located in Nenana, this center focuses on Alaskan Native culture.

Alutiiq Museum

In Kodiak, this museum celebrates the heritage and culture of the Koniag Alutiiq people.

American Bald Eagle Foundation Museum

Visit Haines to learn about bald eagles and other animals. This museum teaches you about the natural history of these magnificent birds and their environment.

Anchorage Alaska Center

This Anchorage center is a great starting point for visitors. It has exhibits about Alaska's natural beauty, history, and cultures.

Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center

The largest museum in Alaska, located in Anchorage, covers art, history, and culture. It's a must-see for anyone wanting to understand Alaska better.

Anvik Historical Society and Museum

In Anvik, this museum shares the local history of the area.

Baranov Museum

Operated by the Kodiak Historical Society in Kodiak, this museum focuses on local history.

Big Delta State Historical Park

Near Big Delta, this park includes a historic roadhouse and a museum with local history items.

Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum

This museum in Nome tells the story of local history in the Arctic Alaska region.

Clausen Memorial Museum

In Petersburg, this museum has exhibits on fishing, local businesses, and the Tlingit people.

Cordova Museum

Operated by the Cordova Historical Society in Cordova, this museum shares the town's local history.

Dorothy Page Museum

Located in Wasilla, this museum focuses on the city's history.

Duncan Cottage Museum

This historic house in Metlakatla offers a glimpse into the past.

Eagle Historical Society & Museums

In Eagle, these museums explore the local history of the area.

Elmendorf Wildlife Museum

This small natural history museum is located at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.

Fairbanks Community Museum

Found in Fairbanks, this museum is in the old city hall building. It tells the story of Fairbanks' local history.

Fairbanks Ice Museum

In Fairbanks, this unique museum showcases beautiful ice sculptures. It's a cool place to see art made from ice!

Fort Egbert

Located in Eagle, this museum features buildings from an early 20th-century Army base. It's a look into military history.

Gold Dredge 8

Near Fairbanks, this museum is all about mining. You can even take a train ride to see a historic gold panning dredge!

Hammer Museum

In Haines, this museum has a huge collection of over 1,700 hammers and related tools. You can see everything from ancient Roman battle axes to modern novelty hammers.

Hope & Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum

This museum in Hope shares local history, especially about mining.

Ilanka Cultural Center

In Cordova, this center focuses on Alaskan Native culture.

Inupiat Heritage Center

Located in Utqiaġvik, this center celebrates the contributions of Alaska Natives to whaling history. It has exhibits, artifacts, and even demonstrations of traditional crafts.

Juneau-Douglas City Museum

This Juneau museum covers many aspects of local history. You can learn about gold mining, hydropower, skiing, fishing, and the city's past.

Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center

In Kenai, this center offers exhibits on Alaskan Native culture, natural history, history, and art.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Located in Skagway, this park includes the Mascot Saloon museum and the historic Moore House. It tells the story of the gold rush.

Knik Museum

In Wasilla, this museum is operated by the Wasilla-Knik Historical Society and focuses on local history.

Kodiak Maritime Museum

This museum in Kodiak is all about the sea! It's located in Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park and teaches about maritime history.

Kodiak Military History Museum

Also in Kodiak, this museum is in a WWII-era bunker. It shows artifacts and tells the history of Fort Abercrombie.

Last Chance Mining Museum

In Juneau, this museum is a former gold mining camp. It's a great place to learn about Alaska's gold rush past.

Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum

Located in Valdez, this museum has exhibits on natural history and Alaskan Native artifacts. It's part of Prince William Sound College.

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

Near Juneau, this center has exhibits all about the amazing Mendenhall Glacier. You can learn how glaciers form and change.

Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center

In Fairbanks, this center explores Alaskan Native culture, history, and the natural history of Interior Alaska.

Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry

This Wasilla museum showcases transportation and industrial artifacts. It's a great place to see how things were built and moved in Alaska.

Museum of the Aleutians

Located in Unalaska, this museum focuses on local history and culture of the Aleutian Islands.

Museum of the North

Part of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, this museum covers art, history, culture, and natural history. It's a comprehensive look at Alaska.

Northwest Arctic Heritage Center

In Kotzebue, this center explores the natural and cultural history of the Western Arctic National Parklands.

Oscar Anderson House Museum

This historic house in Anchorage was built in 1915. It was the first wood-frame house in Anchorage and has been restored to look just like it did back then.

Palmer Museum of History & Art

In Palmer, this museum shares local history, culture, and art.

Pedro Gold Dredge

Located in Chicken, this museum features a historic mining dredge at the Chicken Gold Camp.

Pioneer Aviation Museum

Found in Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, this museum tells the story of aviation in interior and arctic Alaska.

Pioneer Park

This 44-acre park in Fairbanks is home to several museums! You can find the Alaska Native Museum, Pioneer Museum, the Kitty Hensley House, the Tanana Valley Railroad Museum, the SS Nenana riverboat, and the Wickersham House.

Pratt Museum

In Homer, this museum covers local history, natural history, art, and culture.

Prince William Sound Museum

Located in Whittier, this museum focuses on WWII and Cold War military history in Alaska. It also has exhibits about the 1964 earthquake.

Seward Community Library & Museum

This museum in Seward shares the local history of the community.

Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center

In Haines, this center explores the history, art, and diverse cultures of the Chilkat Valley region.

Sheldon Jackson Museum

Located in Sitka, this museum has a wonderful collection of Alaskan Native artifacts.

Simon Paneak Memorial Museum

In Anaktuvuk Pass, this museum focuses on the history and culture of the Nunamiut Inupiat people.

Sitka Historical Museum

This Sitka museum, formerly the Isabel Miller Museum, tells the story of Sitka. It covers the Tlingit people, European explorations, and the Russian era.

Sitka National Historical Park

Also in Sitka, this park includes Tlingit items, totem poles, Russian American collections, and the 1843 period Russian Bishop's House.

Skagway Museum and Archives

This museum in Skagway focuses on local history.

Southeast Alaska Discovery Center

In Ketchikan, this center is a visitor hub for the Tongass National Forest. It teaches about the ecology, economy, and culture of Southeast Alaska's rainforests.

Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum

In Delta Junction, this museum is an early 20th-century roadhouse with exhibits and photos from that time.

Talkeetna Historical Society Museum

This museum in Talkeetna shares the local history of the area.

Tongass Historical Museum

Located in Ketchikan, this museum focuses on the history of the region.

Totem Heritage Center

Also in Ketchikan, this center showcases the traditional arts and crafts of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures.

Trapper Creek Museum

In Trapper Creek, this museum shares local history.

Valdez Museum

This museum in Valdez focuses on the local history of the town.

Wrangell Museum

In Wrangell, this museum shares the local history of the community.

Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center

Located in Bethel, this center explores the local history of the Yup’ik and Alaskan Athabaskan people.

Alaska SeaLife Center

In Seward, this center is an Aquarium. You can learn about marine life in Alaska.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Sometimes museums close their doors. Here are a couple that used to be open:

• Russian Orthodox Museum, Anchorage (closed in 2009)
• Alaska Heritage Museum by Wells Fargo, Anchorage

More to Explore

• Aquariums in Alaska
• Botanical Gardens in Alaska
• Historic Landmarks in Alaska
• Historical Societies in Alaska
• Historic Houses in Alaska
• Forts in Alaska
• Museums around the World
• Nature Centers in Alaska
• Observatories in Alaska
• Registered Historic Places in Alaska