Anchorage Museum

Anchorage Museum Review

This is no just-in-case-of-a-rainy-day attraction. An extensive renovation in 2009-10 made the Anchorage Museum an essential stop for visitors. There's no better way to deepen your understanding of the state's history, people, and, thanks to an impressive collection of paintings and photographs, beauty. The post-renovation star of the museum is the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, featuring more than 600 objects from Alaska Native cultures, short films that teach visitors about modern-day Native life, and much more. If you have a strong interest in history, art, or culture, leave extra time for the center—though it's just one large room, you might end up staying for hours. A good follow-up: wander the galleries filled with paintings and other art that showcases Alaska landscape and history through the talents of painters and other artists. The Alaska History Gallery's dioramas and other traditional museum exhibits focus on the state's history. Cap the visit in the Imaginarium Discovery Center. Kids and their parents—and, okay, adults without kids, too—won't want to leave the museum once they step into the 9,000-square-foot center loaded with hands-on science exhibits. There's also a planetarium. In summer the first-floor atrium is the site of free daily presentations by local artists and authors. Muse restaurant, a bright and modern spot operated by local favorite the Marx Bros. Café, serves delicious lunches, dinners, and cocktails. The gift shop is one of Anchorage's best places to buy Alaska Native art and other souvenirs. Book lovers beware (or you may spend your vacation budget all at once): the shop's book department runs the gamut from Alaska fiction to history, cookbooks, and beyond.