Museums in Kodiak, Alaska
Located on the second largest island in the United States -Kodiak Island-and with its unique landscape and outdoor opportunities make, it’s no doubt why the city of Kodiak is a popular choice for nature enthusiasts. Kodiak has many special activities and places worth exploring scattered throughout the city.
But, besides its recreational areas, this city offers high-quality museums full of history, culture, and valuable information. So, if you ever find yourself in this historic city, we recommend you visit its museums.
Alutiiq Museum
The Alutiiq Museum preserves the 7500-year-old heritage of the indigenous Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people. They display one of the state’s most extensive collections of Alutiiq/Sugpiaq artifacts and feature unique jewelry and art on Alaska Native History.
The idea of this museum was by the Kodiak Area Native Association’s Culture and Heritage Division -KANA-. In 1987, this association’s directors concluded that exploration and celebration of the Native culture was an essential part of the well-being of the Alutiiq community. To support this cultural learning, KANA established programs to teach Alutiiq arts, language, and history to create a museum one day. On May 13, 1995, with the help of the Natives of Kodiac, Inc. The Alutiiq Museum opened its doors.
Kodiak Maritime Museum
This museum was established in 1996 by a small group of fishermen determined to preserve and protect Kodiak’s maritime heritage and history. This “museum without walls” features maritime displays on top of the docks, giving visitors a better understanding of the marine resources and the state’s commercial fishing industry.
Even though this museum does not have a building facility, they offer outdoor exhibits, walking tours, live performances, and other recreational activities. Some of their permanent physical exhibits include interpretative panels on the west wall of the small boat harbor and Shelikof St. and exhibits at Key Bank and Kodiak College. And their largest exhibit is the outdoor Thelma C Interpretative Exhibit.
Kodiak History Museum
Located within Kodiak’s 200-year-old Russia Erskine House, -a National Historic Landmark building-, Kodiak History Museum’s purpose is to preserve Kodiak’s history, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq culture, and the early Russian colonial period in America, World War II, and the fishing industry. They offer a selection of Russian arts and crafts.
This museum facilitates the cultural, natural, and artistic heritage exploration of Kodiak Island and the surrounding communities, creating opportunities for visitors to discover and share knowledge using the resources found in the Kodiak History Museum.