Alaska State Museum, Juneau (must see)

The Alaska State Museum offers an in-depth and engaging look into the vast cultural, historical, and artistic landscape of Alaska. Housing extensive permanent exhibits and rotating seasonal displays, the museum showcases artifacts from Alaska’s Indigenous cultures, including the Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Athabascan, Inupiaq, Yup’ik, Alutiiq, and Unangax peoples.

Visitors can also explore exhibits covering the state’s Russian colonial era, political history, natural sciences, and Alaskan fine and contemporary art, making it a comprehensive destination for anyone interested in understanding the state’s diverse heritage.

Following a major $139 million renovation, the museum reopened in 2016 as part of the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff State Library, Archives, and Museum building-also known as the APK. This facility brought together Alaska's historical records, cultural artifacts, and research resources under one roof, replacing the original 1967 structure designed by architect Linn A. Forrest. The new museum sits on the same footprint but offers a much-expanded and modernized space for exhibits, community programming, and research.

Admission is affordable, with free entry for youth 18 and under, and discounted rates for seniors, making it an accessible educational outing for families and individuals alike.