Totem Heritage Center, Ketchikan (must see)

The Totem Heritage Center stands as a powerful tribute to the artistry and cultural heritage of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples. Established to preserve and share these Indigenous traditions, the center holds the largest collection of unrestored 19th-century totem poles in the world. These majestic, weathered poles-each carved with precision and meaning-were recovered from long-abandoned village sites, where they had been left standing in silent tribute to ancestors and clan histories. Visitors can explore memorial poles, family poles, and story poles, each one a striking testament to the golden age of totem carving between the mid-1700s and late 1800s.

Beyond the totem poles themselves, the Totem Heritage Center showcases a range of Native artifacts, including woven baskets, carved masks, ceremonial regalia, and photographic records of the original village sites. These elements offer a deeper understanding of Alaska Native life, belief systems, and visual storytelling traditions. The arrival of iron tools during the fur trade era allowed for more intricate carvings, and the poles created during that time reflect a flourishing of creativity and cultural expression, fueled in part by potlatch celebrations and newfound prosperity.

The center is not merely a museum, but also a cultural hub dedicated to perpetuating these traditional arts. It hosts classes and workshops where students of all ages can learn from master Native artists in carving, weaving, and design. Walking through the center feels like stepping into the continuum of a living culture-where even silvery-gray, timeworn poles still speak.