Fairbanks – Museum of the North

The museum located on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus, is one of our favorites.  In early 2000 it was renovated and new areas for displays were opened.  The exterior is very modern looking

 

as well as the lobby.

Otto, the 9 ft. grizzly, still stands guard on some of the displays

including the other animals

polar bear and seals

muskox and wolves

reindeer skeleton

Blue babe,steppe bison

dall sheep

bear and eagle

ptarmagin (one dresses for summer and one winter)

There are many exhibits depicting early native life, including dance mask, gloves and drum

and dance stick

Beautiful native clothing

 

beaded color

mask

totum pole

 

approx. 3000 pounds of jade

more mask and sunglasses to protect from the sun and glare off the snow

 

A carved Yup’ik angel

many native dolls and toys

Some outhouses are beautifully decorated and there are even outhouse races in some cities

The natives do not waste any part of the fish or animals they kill.

This is a basket made from fish skin

 

On the grounds we saw a block house that had been moved here and restored.  The gun slits are visible on all sides.

                             

 

We were not able to see the northern lights while in Fairbanks but did see several excellent movies explaining what occurs all the time but not always visible to us.

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We had been advised to allow at least four hours.  However after this time we went out to lunch and returned for several more hours.  The three films shown take over one and a half hours to view.