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Looking for a chance to experience the many opportunities available in Anchorage? You can observe the city's way of life, learn about its history and see many of the local attractions via the following list of tours, museums and activities.
Anchorage Museum of History & Art
The Anchorage Museum of History & Art has a five-story atrium and holds a complete collection of Alaskan art, spanning from prehistoric to contemporary times. Traveling exhibits, special slide shows and movies take place here, along with scheduled nightly presentations during the summer months.
Alaska Heritage Museums
Owned by First National Bank of Alaska, the Alaska Heritage Library Museum houses the largest private collection of rare Alaskan books and artwork. Free to the public and located in midtown, it holds more than 1,500 rare books, in addition to ancient Native American woven baskets, blankets, fur garments and a multitude of artifacts representing the area's indigenous peoples.
A much larger exhibition showcasing Alaskan Native culture is contained in the Alaska Native Heritage Center in the northeast corner of Anchorage. Here you can learn about Alaskan Native traditions through interactive activities such as storytelling, tours of traditional villages, music and dance, videos and exhibits of Native artwork. Alaska Natives create traditional artworks on-site, ranging from carvings and bead work to jewelry and more. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions as they pause to watch the craft making. Hour-long classes are also available, offering quick demonstrations on some of the techniques used to produce the artwork.
While most of the museums and cultural centers in Anchorage include a large Native presence, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum does not. This exhibit contains airplanes, both restored and in the process of restoration, in addition to a fascinating collection of records about early bush pilots and their role in the development of Alaska. Mission logs from World War II, records of the first flights in arctic aviation, and documents of solo voyages, around-the-world flights and balloon trips are all part of this collection. Of particular note to many aviation enthusiasts are Wiley Post's records of his solo flight around the world in 1933.
Potter's March Bird Sanctuary
Whether they are wildlife enthusiasts or not, chances are most everyone visiting Anchorage will have the thrill of spotting a bald eagle--there are more eagles per capita here than in any other U.S. state. Nearby birding sites, such as Potter's Marsh Bird Sanctuary two miles south of Anchorage and the Portage Valley just beyond, contain large flocks of wetland waterfowl. The area is part of a migratory corridor, and spring and fall bring a large number and wide variety of bird species for visitors to view.
Reindeer and Ox Farms
Moose sightings are likely too, as Anchorage has the highest per capita moose population of any city in the U.S. For guaranteed sightings of Alaskan wildlife, you can travel north of Anchorage to a Reindeer Farm and the Musk Ox Farm. (These places are each within 50 miles of the city.) These attractions offer full views of the wildlife and, in some cases, opportunities to interact with the animals.
Some companies provide charter trips to places of its visitors' choosing for the purposes of sightseeing, bear viewing, fly-in fishing, glacier landings and more. The fishing guides can adeptly prepare you for a terrific fishing experience by providing all your gear, fishing demonstrations (if needed) and advice on the locations most likely to lead to a successful fishing trip. Catch all of Anchorage's best known sights, including informative glacier tours.
Bus Tours
Anchorage City Tour-Grayline ( +1 888 452 1737/ http://www.graylinealaska.com/ )
Alaska Bus Charters and Tours ( +1 907 278 2929 / http://www.alaskabus.com/ )
Walking Tours
ACVB Log Cabin Visitor Information Center ( +1 907 274 3531/ http://www.anchorage.net/878.cfm/ )
Marine Tours
Major Marine Tours ( +1 907 274 7300/ http://www.majormarine.com/ )
Phillips Cruises and Tours ( +1 907 276 8023/ http://www.26glaciers.com/ )
Flight Tours
Era Aviation ( +1 907 248 4422/ http://www.flyera.com/ )
Rust's Flying Service ( +1 907 243 1595/ http://www.flyrusts.com/ )
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