Highest-rated museums in Alaska by visitors
Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.
Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums . America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history,.
Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.
No wonder they attract nearly.
With over in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Alaska on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.
#30. Wrangell Museum
- Rating: 4.7/5 (149 reviews)
- City: Wrangell
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#29. The Rain Barrel
- Rating: 4.8/5 (159 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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#28. Sitka Sound Science Center
- Rating: 4.2/5 (141 reviews)
- City: Sitka
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#27. Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum
- Rating: 4.8/5 (111 reviews)
- City: Valdez
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#26. Talkeetna Historical Society Museum
- Rating: 4.4/5 (309 reviews)
- City: Talkeetna
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#25. Valdez Museum & Historical Archive
- Rating: 4.5/5 (205 reviews)
- City: Valdez
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#24. Sealaska Heritage - Walter Soboleff Building
- Rating: 4.3/5 (158 reviews)
- City: Juneau
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#23. Norman Lowell Gallery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (190 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#22. Imaginarium Discovery Center
- Rating: 4.6/5 (130 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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#21. Pratt Museum
- Rating: 4.6/5 (406 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#20. Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum
- Rating: 4.4/5 (270 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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#19. Dean Homestead and Art Studios Tour and The Dean Gallery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (118 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#18. Sheldon Jackson Museum
- Rating: 4.8/5 (294 reviews)
- City: Sitka
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#17. Kilcher Homestead Living Museum
- Rating: 4.3/5 (71 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#16. BearHead Photography Gallery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (236 reviews)
- City: Skagway
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#15. Fairbanks Ice Museum
- Rating: 3.6/5 (416 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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#14. Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
- Rating: 4.5/5 (283 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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#13. Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
- Rating: 4.7/5 (348 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#12. Totem Heritage Center
- Rating: 4.3/5 (559 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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#11. Gold Daughters Alaska
- Rating: 4.9/5 (261 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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#10. Dolly's House Museum
- Rating: 4.0/5 (345 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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#9. Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
- Rating: 4.6/5 (639 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#8. Iditarod Headquarters
- Rating: 4.3/5 (469 reviews)
- City: Wasilla
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#7. Aurora Ice Museum
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,019 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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#6. Alaska State Museum
- Rating: 4.7/5 (628 reviews)
- City: Juneau
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#5. Red Onion Saloon Brothel Museum
- Rating: 4.4/5 (981 reviews)
- City: Skagway
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#4. Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,864 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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#3. University of Alaska Museum of the North
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,714 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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#2. Anchorage Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,719 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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#1. Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
- Rating: 5.0/5 (2,482 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.