Alaska Native Culture - 2023
ALASKA NATIVE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
2022-08-28 17:20:08
Each tribe has thousands of years of traditions and stories to tell, and their cultures can be experienced firsthand on cultural tours throughout the state. Alaska Native-owned tour operators and programs allow travelers to connect on a more personal level with today’s Alaska Native peoples through interactive experiences.
tours
In Ketchikan, observe Alaska Native carvers using traditional tools and techniques, and watch Alaska Native dance performances at Saxman Native Village—home to a collection of reconstructed carved totem poles recovered from Tlingit villages. Or join a historic walking tour of Ketchikan with a local Tlingit guide.
Embark on a cultural tour of Sitka, including Sitka National Historical Park which commemorates Tlingit and Haida history and features wooded pathways displaying totem poles, and watch a traditional Tlingit dance performance.
In Utqiaġvik, discover firsthand the lifestyles of Alaska’s Iñupiaq peoples on a tour of the village with a local host.
Enjoy interpretive programs about local Tlingit culture on board select cruise ships in Glacier Bay or at Glacier Bay Lodge.
Take a riverboat tour on the Chena River in Fairbanks that includes a stop for an Athabascan cultural demonstration.
Join a flightseeing tour that stops in remote villages in the Interior and Arctic regions of Alaska to learn about Iñupiaq and Athabascan cultures.
Museums & heritage sites
With more than 60 museums and cultural centers throughout the state, learn about the 20+ distinct Alaska Native cultures for a better understanding and appreciation of those who have inhabited the land for 10,000 years.
ANCHORAGE MUSEUM, Anchorage
Admire more than 600 pieces of Alaska Native art, tools, and other historical objects from the Smithsonian, surrounded by screens showcasing contemporary life.
ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER, Anchorage
Here you can learn a traditional Yup’ik dance, take a jam-making or tail-weaving class, or walk the authentic dwellings situated around Lake Tiulana.
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM OF THE NORTH, Fairbanks
Check out mammoth and mastodon fossils along with 2.5 million artifacts that depict Alaska’s natural and cultural history.
NORTHWEST ARCTIC HERITAGE CENTER, Kotzebue
At this museum dedicated to Iñupiaq culture, immerse yourself in life-size dioramas depicting their life and listen to first-person stories.
ALASKA STATE MUSEUM, Juneau
Modern on the outside, on display within is a comprehensive look at the state’s history, including exhibits of ancient to contemporary Alaska Native art.
YUPIIT PICIRYARAIT CULTURAL CENTER, Bethel
Find more than 2,500 artifacts from the Athabascan, Cup’ik, and Yup’ik cultures, including carvings from whale bone!
IÑUPIAT HERITAGE CENTER, Utqiaġvik
Learn about whaling as well as migratory birds, and a summer program lets you participate in a demonstration of Iñupiat dance.
SEALASKA HERITAGE INSTITUTE, Juneau
Masterful art representative of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes are not to be missed (they’re so massive, you can’t), and if you’re lucky you’ll catch a visiting artist doing a carving or weaving demonstration.
SAXMAN NATIVE VILLAGE, Ketchikan
Take in the largest collection of standing totem poles, watch carvers at work, and take in a performance of traditional song and dance by members of the Tlingit tribe.
ALUTIIQ MUSEUM, Kodiak
Displaying one of the largest collections of Sugpiaq artifacts in the state, the Alutiiq Museum also features a museum store that sells Alaska Native art and jewelry.
To explore more, visit TravelAlaska.com/CulturalTours
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