Museums - Sheldon Jackson Museum

This museum was founded in 1887 by the Reverend Doctor Sheldon Jackson and the Alaska Society of Natural History and Ethnology. The octagonal structure that now houses the collection is notable for being the first concrete building in Alaska. The majority of its 5,800 Alaska Native objects were acquired between 1888–1898 by Jackson with the assistance of teachers, missionaries, members of the Alaska Society of Natural History and Ethnology, and members of the Native community. As General Agent for Education for the US Bureau of Education, Jackson traveled throughout the region. As he did so, he purchased or traded for objects in the areas he visited. Highlights of the collection include Inupiat and Yup’ik Eskimo watercraft, clothing, masks, tools, and equipment of daily life. Tlingit regalia, including the raven helmet worn by K’alyaan during the Battle of 1804 as the Tlingit defended their homeland against the Russians, is a prominent part of the collection. Haida argillite carvings, Athabascan canoes and Aleut/Alutiiq masks are also held by the museum.
About 32% of the collection is on exhibit. The museum is part of the Alaska State Museums system, which has another facility in Juneau.