UAF museum welcomes 354th FW for military appreciation day

  • Published
  • By Kerynn Fisher
  • University of Alaska-Fairbanks spokesperson
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  A mere 25 miles from Eielson Air Force Base, a world-class museum awaits members of the 354th Fighter Wing and their families. Located on the University of Alaska-Fairbanks campus, the University of Alaska Museum of the North offers award-winning exhibits on Alaska's cultures and natural history, family programs, public lectures and a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.

Nov. 10 is the museum's annual military appreciation day, with free admission from noon to 5 p.m. for all community members - active duty, retired, veterans and civilians. The event, now in its 13th year, has been supported by Wells Fargo since 2003.

"Here in Fairbanks, the military is such a big part of our community," said Aldona Jonaitis, museum director. "Our military appreciation day is a small way to say thank you for the service you provide to the nation, the Fairbanks community and the museum."

Visitors will enjoy unlimited access to the museum's exhibit galleries and presentations by Gwich'in Athabascan artist Rochelle Adams, who will demonstrate beading. Museum docents will be on hand to help families make the most of their museum visit with gallery activity sheets and materials from the museum's hands-on collections. Visitors can also get a start on their holiday shopping with a 10 percent discount on all items in the museum's store.

For those new to Alaska, the museum's exhibits provide a great introduction to the state. Divided into five geographic and cultural regions, the Gallery of Alaska gives visitors an overview of the people, history, cultures, wildlife and geology for each region. Highlights include Alaska's first car, the state's largest gold display, videos on Alaska Native dancing and the aurora, and Blue Babe, the world's only 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison. Young visitors will love Otto, the 8'9" brown bear that stands watch at the gallery entrance.

In the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery, a 2,000-year spectrum of Alaskan art will delight and intrigue visitors. The gallery, the centerpiece of the new wing, features ancient ivory carvings, intricately detailed Alaska Native clothing and footwear, historic oil paintings, fiber arts and contemporary sculpture. Just outside the art gallery, experience The Place Where You Go to Listen, where local composer John Luther Adams channels the position of the sun and moon, earthquake activity and the aurora into an ever-changing sound and light experience.

For more information on the museum and its exhibits, public programs and volunteer opportunities, please visit the museum online at www.uaf.edu/museum, e-mail museum@uaf.edu or call 474-7505.