Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka (must see)

The Sheldon Jackson Museum preserves one of Alaska's oldest and most significant collections of Indigenous cultural artifacts. The museum is named after Dr. Sheldon Jackson, a Presbyterian missionary and educator who played an influential role in late 19th-century Alaska. During his travels throughout Alaska and coastal Siberia, Jackson collected thousands of objects representing Native cultures, many of which became the foundation of the museum's collection. His work also included establishing schools and missions, introducing reindeer to Alaska, and advocating for the development of public education in the territory.

Founded in 1888 on the campus of Sheldon Jackson College, the museum was created to preserve examples of Alaska's natural and cultural history. Its current building, completed in 1895, is notable as the oldest concrete structure in Alaska and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1984, the museum became part of the Alaska State Museums system, ensuring continued preservation and public access to its collections.

The museum's exhibits feature artifacts from many Alaska Native cultures, including the Inupiat, Yup'ik, Unangax, Athabascan, and Northwest Coast peoples. The collection includes masks, carvings, clothing, tools, household objects, and traditional watercraft that demonstrate the skills, materials, and adaptations developed by Indigenous communities across Alaska. Among the highlights are an Unangan baidarka (skin kayak) and a Tlingit dugout canoe, which illustrate the importance of marine transportation in different regions of the state.

One of the museum's distinctive features is its system of open display drawers, which allows visitors to examine artifacts organized by type and compare similar objects from different cultures. The exhibits also explore changes brought by contact with European materials and technologies. Through its collections, films, and rotating displays connected with local events such as Sitka's WhaleFest, the Sheldon Jackson Museum provides insight into Alaska Native traditions and the historical changes that have shaped them.