Alaska Native Heritage Center
About This Museum
Out here near the Chugach foothills, just off the Glenn Highway, you'll find a place that feels a world away from downtown Anchorage. The Alaska Native Heritage Center isn't your typical museum; it's a vibrant gathering place where the living cultures of Alaska's first peoples take center stage. Inside the great Hall of Cultures, you can watch an artist demonstrate the intricate art of seal gut parka sewing or listen to ancient stories told in their original languages. Then, you follow a wooded trail past a serene lake to discover full-scale traditional dwellings, from an Iñupiaq sod house to a Haida plank house, each one a testament to generations of ingenuity.
Collection Highlights
The real highlights are the people and the places: dancers performing in the Gathering Circle, demonstrations of ivory carving and beadwork, and the six authentic village sites around Lake Tiulana that you can walk through and enter.
Visitor Information
It's open seasonally, generally from May to September, so definitely check their website for current hours before you head out. Don't miss the cultural presentations in the afternoons—they're often the most memorable part of any visit.
Architecture & Building
The main building is modern and spacious with soaring wooden beams, designed to evoke a traditional ceremonial hall, while the outdoor site is a natural woodland dotted with authentic, hand-built dwellings.
Contact & Location
Address: Alaska Native Heritage Center, 8800, Heritage Center Drive, Anchorage, Alaska, 99504, United States
Phone: +1 907-330-8000
Website: Visit Website
