Anchorage Museum of Natural History
The museum of natural history in Eagle River, Alaska
has filled a unique need in the state for science education that
focuses exclusively on the state's unusual geological, ecological
and cultural history, opening in May of 1994, on a mission to study
and showcase the natural history objects that pertain to the state's
natural history, both promoting and developing the educational
programs that definitely enhance the school and university curricula
of the state. In 2004, the museum was able to purchase a wonderful
12,000 square foot structure to house and disseminate these
outstanding lessons. Their exhibits explore the 100 million year
history of the region with new exhibits like the Ice Age Lion skull,
Meet the Dinosaurs of Alaska and the Duckbill dinosaur, the black
bear and others, the Coastal Oceans diorama, Archaeopteryx skeleton
that belonged to a feathered reptile, the magnificent snowy owl
diorama and the bird skeleton. Their permanent collections have
continued to blossom over the years and now contain Alaskan
historical, artistic, anthropological, geological, biological and
educational collections that number in the 10,000 range. Some of the
vast and exciting collections donated in the past decade include;
the John Grega collection that contains African animals, the
Margaret Schoonover collection of rocks, relics and minerals, the
Jim Prentiss collection with economic minerals from SE Alaska, the
Ruth Briggs collection of native relics, ivory carvings and baskets,
the Larry Aumiller collection of mammal skulls, the Edward Smoot
collection of tropical sea shells and the George Fennimore
collection of minerals and rocks. Their permanent exhibits consist
of skeletal examples of birds, skulls, man and moose, 4 Alaskan
dioramas, and many mounts of Alaskan mammals and birds.
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