Juneau Museums

(Juneau, Alaska - AK, USA)

Cruise ship passengers disembarking from their liner will find that the Alaska State Museum is just a ten-minute stroll away from the terminal and remains a major draw card in Juneau. Now more than a century old, the museum was founded at the turn of the 19th century following an Act of Congress, being created in order to actively preserve important artifacts from the territory and display them for all to enjoy

One for visiting history buffs with an interest in finding out more about the heritage and development of the state capital, the Juneau Douglas City Museum is not overly large, but it does warrant exploration if you are in the city center.

Lying just a short drive to the north of the city and manned by volunteers is the Last Chance Mining Museum. This attraction is to be found at the very end of Basin Road and so is easy to locate. Step inside this historic building (once owned by the Alaska-Juneau Gold Mining Company) and you will discover many informative displays and objects relating to the capital's mining days.

Alaska State Museum (ASM)

Address: 395 Whittier Street, Juneau, Alaska (AK), 99811, USA
Tel: +1 907 465 2901
The city's premier cultural attraction is the centrally located Alaska State Museum, which stands between West Willoughby Avenue and Egan Drive, close to the Driftwood Lodge. Its initial expanding collection of local treasures lacked an actual exhibition space until the 1920s came along. In the latter years of the 1960s, the residents of Juneau funded the construction of a purpose-built building to house the growing collection by an additional temporary sales tax. Today, in excess of 30,000 catalogued items are housed here, ranging from natural history specimens and Native American relics, to art works, archaeological finds, old firearms, historic whaling equipment, memorabilia relating to the days of the Gold Rush, and information about the numerous shipwrecks lying along the neighboring coastline of the Gulf of Alaska.
Open hours: May to September, daily - 08:30 to 17:30, first Friday of every month - 18:30 to 19:00; October to April, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, first Friday of every month - 10:00 to 19:00
Admission: May to September - charge, discounts available to seniors and children 17 years old and under, first Friday of every month is free

Juneau Douglas City Museum

Address: 114 West 4th Street, Juneau, Alaska (AK), 99801, USA
Tel: +1 907 586 3572
This building is easy to locate, since it is sited just across the road (Main Street) from the Alaska State Capitol Building. After visiting the Juneau Douglas City Museum, be sure to check out the onsite store, which sells local history books, mining related goodies, posters, collectables, trail guides and maps, as well as toys and cuddlies for children.
Open hours: September to April, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, May to August, Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: September to April - free, May to August - charge, discounts available for seniors, children 12 years old and under are free

Aunt Claudia's Dolls, a Museum

Address: 114 South Franklin Street, Suite 102, Juneau, Alaska (AK), 99801, USA
Tel: +1 907 586 4969
This museum is called home by a sizeable collection of dolls and miniatures, the majority of which once belonged to local resident Claudia Kelsey. The Native American dolls are particularly interesting, while a resident artists has a studio onsite and welcomes visitors. Those interested in paying a visit simply need to phone ahead and arrange a convenient time.
Open hours: by appointment
Admission: donations accepted

Last Chance Mining Museum

Address: 1001 Basin Road, Juneau, Alaska (AK), 99801, USA
Tel: +1 907 586 5338
Exhibits at the Last Chance Mining Museum include actual mining tools, rail cars once used to transport men and ore to and from the mines, and machines used to extract and process gold. Children will enjoy trying their hand at panning for real gold nuggets in the river. Of note, if you are not in a rush and fancy escaping the cruise ship crowd, then do consider walking here. A leisurely stroll will take around 45 minutes and along the way you will see waterfalls, lots of wildflowers, and even the occasional eagle and raven.
Open hours: late May to August, daily - 09:30 to 12:30, 15:30 to 18:30
Admission: charge

House of Wickersham

Address: 213 7th Street, Juneau, Alaska (AK), 99801, USA
Tel: +1 907 586 9001
An important museum-type attraction of particular historical significance in Juneau, the House of Wickersham was built just before the end of the 19th century, being a rather grand house at that time. It later served as the residence for James Wickersham (Alaska's district judge between the years of 1900 and 1908), who purchased the house in 1928 and lived here with his second wife until his death in 1939. Today, the house is packed with period furnishings and antiquities, transporting its visitors to the city's bygone days. Countless black and white photographs adorn the walls, along with paintings, while there are also a number of scrapbooks, diaries and stories to enjoy.
Open hours: daily, May to September - 12:00 to 20:00
Admission: charge