Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage, Alaska, The Place to Learn About Native Traditions and Customs

The Alaska Native Heritage Center, located in Anchorage, Alaska, is a museum that allows visitors to learn more about the native Alaskan people.

Visitors to the center can watch artists practice their craft, watch native dances and storytelling and view several films about the different cultures of native Alaska. Outside, on the grounds of the center, there are six full-sized native living quarters . These buildings have been reproduced to accurately reflect the actual structures down the smallest details.

Visitors to the center are often amazed that there is so much diversity within the native Alaskan culture. One visitor, who toured the center with his children said, "It was among the highlights of our two-week Alaskan adventure. The children loved the dances and villages.''

The Alaska Native Heritage Center not only highlights the cultural traditions of the past, but also teaches visitors about the present day diversity that still exists among Alaska's native people.

The center is the fruit of the labor of the Alaska Federation of Natives. This group is the largest organization of natives in the state of Alaska. In 1987, the Federation realized that there was a need for a place where both residents and visitors could learn about the rich Alaskan culture, both of the past and of the present. In 1989, the center opened its doors to the public for the first time .

The Alaska Native Heritage center is the place to learn about native culture and view first-hand as native artists work on their crafts. The mission of the center, according to its website, is "perpetuating and preserving the unique Alaska Native cultures, languages, traditions and values through celebration and education.''

Special events are held throughout the year. These events include film festivals, hands on art workshops where participants are taught by artists and can take home what they create, a holiday bazaar at which crafts created by native Alaskan craftsmen are available for sale and Iditarod Day, where the impending arrival of spring is celebrated.

Some visitors to the center admit that they were hesitant to visit, but quickly changed their minds. One visitor from Omaha, Nebraska said, "When we heard that a stop at this Center was included we were a little hesitant to get excited, but when we got there, just the view out the large picture window to the lake outside was enough to change our minds'' .

Admission to the center is $24.95 for adults and $16.95 for children ages 7-16. Children under 7 are admitted free of charge. Special group rates are available and private tour guides are available for an additional fee.