Cruisin’ the Fossil Festival
Don’t miss this special daily exhibit at the Anchorage Museum, free with regular admission. Located at 625 C St., you’ll get a chance to see the world with a new perspective—the perspective of a scientist-artist team who has a soft spot for trilobites, cheeseburgers and ratfish (not necessarily in that order). Here, you’ll get to discover Alaska fossils thanks to paleontologist Kirk Johnson and local artist Ray Troll. Johnson is a director at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and worked across 10,000 miles in 250 days to unearth these fossils and find out their story.
Curated from museums across the country and active dig sites, the exhibition reveals earth’s history including killer asteroids and huge extinctions. Get a unique view of the giant reptiles, discover what the polar desert of Alaska was like, and see what the 13-foot-tall mega bear looked like. From the “walking whale” of 50 million years ago to the grave of duckbill dino bones, visitors are in for a real treat.
All Hands on Deck
The exhibit is designed for all ages, and there are plenty of hands-on elements. Models are life-sized, and prehistoric creatures are revealed via genuine fossils. It’s all complemented with hand-drawn maps, audio installations, paintings and light shows from Troll. When science meets the arts, something really special happens.
At the Anchorage Museum, you’ll also find the Points of View: Perseverance temporary exhibit as well as permanent options like the planetarium and free guided tours. The Alaska Exhibition opened in the autumn, and in January visitors will be one of the first to enjoy the newly expanded space.
Let the exploration begin …