My Favorite Places in Alaska – Alaska Native Heritage Center

Alaska Native Heritage Center

The Alaska Native Heritage Center offers an opportunity not just to learn about the culture of the indigenous people of Alaska, but also to experience part of their life. This is accomplished through modeled villages representing Alaska’s 11 major cultural groups. Alaska’s indigenous people make up about 17% of the Alaskan population and are rich with history and tradition.

Situated in Anchorage, the Native Heritage center offers an opportunity for a number of authentic activities including storytelling, song and dance, movies, art and craft exhibitions, and museum-quality exhibits.

During your visit, you will learn all about the different Native American cultural groups of Alaska that include the Athabascan, Inupiak / St. Lawrence Yupik, Yup’lk/Cup’lk, Aleut, Alutiiq and Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.

The Center goes the extra mile to ensure that your visit is not just a learning experience, but also a pleasurable and exciting excursion into a world rich in cultural gems, and an adventure into a part of the world very few people know much about.

There is also a lot to take home with you other than just memories. Artists and sculptors have crafts and memorabilia on display around the Alaska Native Center that you can purchase. There is also a gift shop on the premises that features authentic Native American souvenirs and crafts.

Since 1999, when the center was opened, it has been an important part of our Anchorage touring experience. Guests have loved the experience and most have even gotten involved in the cultural song and dance which is fun for everyone.

A visit to Anchorage is surely not complete without a stopover at the Native American Center for an exciting experience of rich culture and adventure with Alaska Experts and interaction with the young Native Americans of Alaska.
 

About the author

Jeff Sturman is an ACE (Alaska Certified Expert) and the CEO of CruisetoAlaska.com. As an Alaska tour guide he has a wealth of experience and knowledge about Alaska, expanding over 25 years in the business with more than 35 trips to Alaska. He shares his passion for Alaska in this article series “My Favorite Places in Alaska”.