March 27, 2026

Cards shuffle, boards unfold, and laughter emanates. In the museum atrium, a casual community gathering organized around ‘Cribbage and Collections’ kicks off on a recent March evening. To the left are displays of cribbage boards from the museum’s collection. To the right, several picnic tables are ready for players.

As people cycle in, some settle into games, while others spend time with Alaska Native-made cribbage boards from the museum’s collection. Nearby, Anchorage Museum Senior Collections Manager Janet Northey answers questions about their history. The boards on display offer a point of connection between past and present, through both close-looking and play.

Says Northey, “Cribbage boards, as far as I understand, came to Alaska through Western contact, during the gold rush era. And you really see them come out of Nome. It's this beautiful form of artistry that is made by hand tools that not powered by electricity.”

Cribbage was introduced to Alaska Native villages and culture in the 19th century by commercial whalers. As the game became more popular, Northey says, Alaska Natives began making one-of-a-kind cribbage boards from natural materials like ivory and sperm whale tooth to sell to sailors as souvenirs. Elaborately decorated and carved boards became common in Western Alaska. 

Cribbage is a card game typically played by two people that combines strategy and simple arithmetic, with players tracking their score on a pegged board. In places like Alaska, where long winters and remote conditions shaped daily life, cribbage boards became especially popular because they turned a portable game into something more lasting. The boards themselves offered space for craftsmanship and personalization, transforming a simple pastime into an object people could carry, gift, and keep. It was something both functional and expressive, shaped by human hands with available materials.

Several boards on display feature animal motifs, either sitting atop the board or carved into the ivory itself. One board, featuring two seals, was created in the early to mid-20th century by an unknown Cup’ik artist using ivory and ink. This cribbage board was a gift of the Huffmon Family, an Alaska family who donated the piece in 2022. “It really goes to show that if you combine art with something that people love, it will last a lifetime,” says event co-host Anchorage Museum Programs Specialist Danni Crombie.

These boards from the early 20th century have endured over time, in part because cribbage creates a community atmosphere among players. Sitting at one of the tables is Dawn, a local avid cribbage player who is playing several hands with two different partners. A longtime lover of the game, she provides expertise at the table, teaching beginners how to play. 

Dawn says she learned to play cribbage as a young mother but didn’t really start playing regularly until her 50s. After the loss of a child, she and a friend started playing cribbage daily. “It was one of those things where you have to think just enough about the cards, but it's not, you know, poker. It's not Monopoly, but it was enough of a distraction, and it was very calming,” Dawn says. “It was a really good way for me to kind of process grief.”

“I think it's really important that we start creating communities where people can talk and visit and make friends,” Dawn says. “Because you're playing cards, you can talk about things that are serious without making eye contact. It creates a place where you're safe to communicate.”

Cribbage is quick to play and low-stakes, making it a pastime fostering connection and deep conversation. As a simple math game, cribbage can be played with both children and adults. The game remains popular, in part, because it is so accessible.

Not far from Dawn, a father and daughter are in the middle of their own quiet game, while behind them, a group of friends laughs and cheers. By the time the hour is up, people seem almost reluctant to leave. They hug, wave, and shake hands, wishing each other safe travels home.

A few stop at the collections table for one last glance at the historical cribbage boards. Several people ask museum staff when the next cribbage night will be hosted. Cribbage, it seems, is more than just a game. It’s a community builder, a place for those young and old to meet, talk, and play.

Community built on the back of a card game.