In an architecturally abstract, igloo- and aurora-inspired edifice sits one of Alaska’s finest museums (uaf.edu/museum; adult/child $22/16), with artifact-rich exhibits on the geology, history, culture and trivia of each region of the state.
You are greeted by an 8ft 9in, 1250lb stuffed bear and signposted around very well laid-out exhibits, which examine the state's regions as geographic and cultural units. Peruse beautifully crafted clothing, masks, basketry and carvings, along with wildlife (taxidermy) like musk oxen, polar bears and rare birds. Short films show Yup’ik dancing, whale hunting and key events from the past – like the horrific Aleut evacuation during WWII.
Upstairs, the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery covers 2000 years of northern works, including ancient ivory carvings, wood masks and contemporary photographs. The second floor is also home to the awe-inspiring "Place Where You Go to Listen," a soundscape emanating from Earth’s magnetic forces, including the aurora borealis.
