The Anchorage Museum of History and Art began as a private partnership to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the purchase of Alaska from Russia. This interesting Anchorage museum opened in the year 1968. An exhibition of 60 borrowed Alaska paintings were displayed, along with a collection of 2,500 historic and ethnographic objects on loan from the local historical society.
Thanks to a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the first visiting national exhibition, "The Far North," from the National Gallery of Art was displayed at the Alaska Museum of History and Art in 1973. That year, the Anchorage Museum of Art became the first Alaska museum to be accredited by the American Association of Museums.
In the 1980s, funds from Alaska oil revenues were used to expand the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. As a result, the Alaska Gallery was built. Today, visitors to the part of the museum can enjoy a permanent ethnographic collection.
Today, the Anchorage Museum collections fulfill a mission to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret cultural materials that represent the art and history of Alaska. The Anchorage Museum of Art has is home to some important collections of Alaska Native artifacts, historical and contemporary artwork, and objects that reflect Alaska's unique history. If you are interested in shopping for Native American art, the museum shop has been voted the best in Alaska. Additionally, anyone who enjoys seeing Alaska's animals in the wild will love the animal paintings at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.
In addition to the historical and art collections, from May to September, Jazz concerts are presented at the Anchorage Museum of Art. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, the Anchorage Museum shows award-winning films. If you plan to run the Alaska Marathon or half Marathon, the night before the race, the Anchorage Museum of Art serves up a pasta dinner. The museum also sponsors a fine arts summer camp for kids.
After visiting the museum, be sure to spend some time exploring the fascinating city of Anchorage. If the Museum of History and Art has sparked an interest in Native American Cuture, check out the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
