Visit the Museum

Museum encourages global dialogue about the north

Year-round attraction

The Anchorage Museum is the largest museum in Alaska and one of the top 10 most visited attractions in the state. The museum’s mission is to connect people, expand perspectives and encourage global dialogue about the North and its distinct environment. It is open daily in summer and Tuesday through Sundays in winter. Located in the heart of downtown Anchorage, the museum offers a distinct cultural experience for residents and visitors.

Community center and insight into place

The museum’s atrium is a gathering space for engagement, offering ways to experience the North through technology, readings, films, music, visual imagery and food.

Polar Nights

In fall, winter and spring, Friday night programs enliven Northern nights through activities centering around art, culture, the environment and the way Northern urbanites gather and meet. Activities include music, art, design, science, culture, innovation, games and food.

Permanent and Temporary Exhibitions

The Anchorage Museum develops major exhibitions and hosts celebrated exhibitions from museums around the world. The museum also has several spaces dedicated to the art, history, culture and science of Alaska and the North.

• Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center houses a 10,000-square-foot exhibition of 600 rare Alaska Native artifacts from the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of the American Indian. The exhibit is designed so visitors can easily compare and contrast different Alaska Native cultural groups.
• Renovated in 2017, the Alaska exhibition presents a contemporary approach to telling Alaska’s story through multiple voices and perspectives. The exhibition, arranged both chronologically and thematically, includes artist installations, sculptures, film, soundscapes, more than 400 artifacts and numerous interactive stations.
• The museum’s art collection presents a compelling narrative for the North from the perspectives of American art and an international North in the 25,000-square-foot Art of the North galleries, located in the Rasmuson Wing, which opened in fall 2017.
• In the 11,000-square-foot Discovery Center, visitors are introduced to Alaska and the Arctic through technology, interactive installations, artwork, marine-life tanks and more.
• CoLab is an all-ages, hands-on learning environment designed to foster the creative making process through the exploration of tools, materials and skills that highlight the innovative spirit of the North.
• The Thomas Planetarium offers a fascinating way to learn about astronomy, the northern lights and nature through full-dome presentations, films and interactive programming.