The Building in Progress

"The Expansion should make a major contribution to the urban structure of the city."
- David Chipperfield, Architect

The Building
With 80,000 additional feet, the museum will add a new dimension to its mission - interpreting the science of the north - while remaining true to the history, art and cultural artifacts that make it one of Alaska's favorite museums. Physically, the addition will make the museum more accessible to passers-by on C Street through a new main entrance and windowed galleries that invite Alaskans and visitors to experience the new museum.

The existing building will also be an important part of the new museum.
See the full size picture from our web cam

The atrium at the heart of the current building will be maintained to continue to provide a venue for the art, music and cultural events that make Anchorage such a vibrant community. Other areas will be transformed into new galleries and improved facilities for exhibition and preservation.

The expansion plans include:

  • The Imaginarium - Alaska's great science discovery center
  • The Arctic Studies Center - Alaska's home for the Smithsonian Institution, and more than 600 artifacts
  • Young Learners Discovery Gallery - Geared toward children up to 5 years old, it will feature touchable objects and opportunities for hands-on learning for families
  • Library and Special Collections - More public access and storage space will be created for the 10,000 books and 400,000 photos used by journalists, scholars, students and historians
  • Behind the Scenes - The new museum will feature a renovated and expanded "back-of-house" for improved care and storage of exhibitions and the permanent collection
  • New Art Galleries
  • New Shop and Café
  • A planetarium/theater - In a new 530 square foot planetarium, visitors will journey to the stars, taking trips through the solar system, or join in the Imaginarium's planetarium presentations that explore the night sky. This multi-purpose space will be used for a wide variety of education programs and films.
The Kresge Foundation's Green Building Initiative grant will allow the museum to consider ways to make the museum addition environmentally friendly.
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