List of museums in Alaska facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Have you ever wondered where you can explore cool old stuff, learn about amazing animals, or discover the history of a place? That's what museums are for! This page lists many awesome museums in Alaska.

Museums are special places that collect and take care of interesting objects. These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. Museums then show these collections to everyone who visits. This list includes museums run by non-profit groups, the government, or even private businesses. It does not include museums that only exist online.

Awesome Museums in Alaska
Museums That Are No Longer Open
See also

Awesome Museums in Alaska

Alaska has many different kinds of museums. You can find museums about planes, animals, history, and the amazing cultures of Alaska Natives. Here are some of them:

Anchorage Museums

Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage: This museum is all about the history of flying in Alaska. You can see many old airplanes here.
Alaska Jewish Museum in Anchorage: Learn about Jewish culture and history in Alaska at this museum.
Alaska Museum of Science and Nature in Anchorage: Explore dinosaur skeletons, fossils, rocks, and learn about Alaska's wildlife and geology. You can find more information on their website.
Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage: This center shows off the rich cultures of the Alaska Natives. You can see tools, boats, clothing, art, and drums.
Alaska State Troopers Museum in Anchorage: Discover the history of the Alaska State Troopers, who are like the state police. They have cool old police cars and other items.
Alaska Veterans Museum in Anchorage: This museum honors Alaska's military history and its brave veterans. It has exhibits on many conflicts, like the Korean War and Vietnam. You can also hear stories from veterans. Check out their website.
Anchorage Alaska Center in Anchorage: This is a visitor center with exhibits about Alaska's nature, history, and cultures.
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center in Anchorage: This is the biggest museum in Alaska! It features art, history, and culture from all over the state.
Elmendorf Wildlife Museum in Anchorage: This small museum is located at Elmendorf Air Force Base. It focuses on natural history.
Oscar Anderson House Museum in Anchorage: Step back in time at this historic house. It was built in 1915 and was one of the first wooden houses in Anchorage. It looks just like it did back then.

Fairbanks Museums

Fairbanks Community Museum in Fairbanks: Learn about the local history of Fairbanks in its old city hall building.
Fairbanks Ice Museum in Fairbanks: See amazing sculptures made entirely of ice!
Gold Dredge 8 in Fairbanks: Take a train ride to see a historic gold mining machine called a dredge. You can even try gold panning!
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center in Fairbanks: This center teaches you about the culture of Alaskan Native people. It also covers the history and nature of Interior Alaska. Visit their website.
Museum of the North in Fairbanks: This museum is part of the University of Alaska. It has collections of art, history, culture, and natural history.
Pioneer Aviation Museum in Fairbanks: Learn about the history of flying in Interior and Arctic Alaska. It's located in Pioneer Park. You can find more on their website.
Pioneer Park in Fairbanks: This large park has several museums inside it. You can find the Alaska Native Museum, the Pioneer Museum, and a historic house from the early 1900s. There's also a train museum and an old steamboat called the SS Nenana.

Juneau Museums

Alaska State Museum in Juneau: This museum covers many topics, including Alaska Natives, state history, natural history, and art.
Juneau-Douglas City Museum in Juneau: Discover the history of Juneau, from gold mining and hydropower to skiing, fishing, and city politics.
Last Chance Mining Museum in Juneau: Explore an old gold mining camp and learn about Alaska's mining past.
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau: This center has exhibits all about the amazing Mendenhall Glacier.

Kodiak Museums

Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak: This museum focuses on the heritage and culture of the Koniag Alutiiq people.
Baranov Museum in Kodiak: Learn about the local history of Kodiak at this museum, run by the Kodiak Historical Society.
Kodiak Maritime Museum in Kodiak: This museum is all about the sea and ships. It's located in Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park. Check out their website.
Kodiak Military History Museum in Kodiak: Explore a World War II bunker and learn about the history of Fort Abercrombie.

Other Alaska Museums

Alfred Starr Cultural Center and Museum in Nenana: Learn about Alaskan Native culture.
American Bald Eagle Foundation Museum in Haines: This museum teaches you about bald eagles and other animals that live in their environment.
Anvik Historical Society and Museum in Anvik: Discover the local history of Anvik.
Big Delta State Historical Park in Big Delta: This park includes a historic roadhouse and a museum with local history items.
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum in Nome: Learn about the local history of Nome.
Clausen Memorial Museum in Petersburg: This museum has exhibits on fishing, local businesses, and the Tlingit people. Visit their website.
Cordova Museum in Cordova: Explore the local history of Cordova.
Dorothy Page Museum in Wasilla: Learn about the history of Wasilla.
Duncan Cottage Museum in Metlakatla: This is a historic house museum.
Eagle Historical Society & Museums in Eagle: Discover the local history of Eagle.
Fort Egbert in Eagle: See buildings from an early 20th-century Army base.
Hammer Museum in Haines: This unique museum has over 1,700 different hammers and related tools! They range from ancient Roman battle axes to modern novelty hammers.
Hope & Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum in Hope: Learn about the history of mining in this area.
Ilanka Cultural Center in Cordova: This center focuses on Alaskan Native culture.
Inupiat Heritage Center in Utqiaġvik: This center celebrates the contributions of Alaska Natives to whaling history. You can see exhibits, artifacts, and watch traditional crafts being made.
Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center in Kenai: This center has exhibits on Alaskan Native culture, natural history, and art.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway: This park tells the story of the Klondike Gold Rush. It includes the Mascot Saloon museum and the historic Moore House.
Knik Museum in Wasilla: Learn about the local history of Knik.
Last Chance Mining Museum in Juneau: This museum is located at a former gold mining camp.
Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum in Valdez: This museum has exhibits on natural history and Alaskan Native artifacts.
Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry in Wasilla: See many different transportation and industrial artifacts. Visit their Website.
Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska: Learn about the local history and culture of the Aleutian Islands.
Northwest Arctic Heritage Center in Kotzebue: This center explores the natural and cultural history of the Western Arctic National Parklands.
Palmer Museum of History & Art in Palmer: This museum covers local history, culture, and art. Check out their website.
Pedro Gold Dredge in Chicken: See a historic mining dredge at the Chicken Gold Camp.
Pratt Museum in Homer: This museum focuses on local history, natural history, art, and culture.
Prince William Sound Museum in Whittier: Learn about World War II and Cold War military history in Alaska. It also covers the 1964 earthquake.
Seward Community Library & Museum in Seward: This place combines a library and a museum about Seward's local history.
Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center in Haines: This museum explores the history, art, and diverse cultures of the Chilkat Valley region.
Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka: See many amazing Alaskan Native artifacts here.
Simon Paneak Memorial Museum in Anaktuvuk Pass: Learn about the history and culture of the Nunamiut Inupiat people.
Sitka Historical Museum in Sitka: This museum focuses on Sitka's history, from the Tlingit people to the Russian era and beyond.
Sitka National Historical Park in Sitka: This park includes Tlingit and Haida totem poles, Russian American historical items, and the 1843 Russian Bishop's House.
Skagway Museum and Archives in Skagway: Learn about the local history of Skagway.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan: This visitor center for the Tongass National Forest teaches you about the ecology, economy, and culture of Southeast Alaska's rainforests.
Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum in Delta Junction: Visit an early 20th-century roadhouse with exhibits and photos from that time.
Talkeetna Historical Society Museum in Talkeetna: Discover the local history of Talkeetna.
Tongass Historical Museum in Ketchikan: Explore the history of Ketchikan.
Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan: This center focuses on the traditional arts and crafts of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures.
Trapper Creek Museum in Trapper Creek: Learn about the local history of Trapper Creek.
Valdez Museum in Valdez: Explore the local history of Valdez.
Wrangell Museum in Wrangell: Discover the local history of Wrangell.
Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center in Bethel: This center focuses on the local history of the Yup’ik and Alaskan Athabaskan people.
Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward: This is an aquarium where you can see amazing marine animals from Alaska.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Sometimes museums close. Here are a couple that used to be open in Anchorage:

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