Attractions of Interest to Children
Alaska Zoo
4731 O'Malley Rd
2 miles east of the New Seward
Hwy.
907/346-3242.
Admission Charged
May-Labor Day, daily 9-6; Labor
Day-Apr., daily 10-dusk.
Siberian tigers, musk oxen,
seals, moose, and a variety of Alaskan birds call this home, but the main
attractions are Oreo, a brown bear, and Ahpun, a polar bear. You can hop a city
bus here from downtown.
Alaska Native Heritage Center
A trail introduces visitors to
Native Tradition Bearers, artists and performers as they tour five village
exhibits surrounding a lake on the 26-acre campus.
The Alaska Native Heritage
Center is the first-ever visitor attraction to share Alaska Native traditions
through educational programs for everyone; the center opened in May 1999.
Five Traditional Villages
The Center is located in
Anchorage, Alaska at the corner of Muldoon Road and Glenn Highway, just 15
minutes from downtown.
9 - 9 .
Admission charged.
Visitors enter the Center
through the Welcome House, which includes interpretative displays, a theater
hosting a film presentation and daily performances of traditional Native dance
troupes.
A 30-member Academy comprised
of Elders and Tradition Bearers was formed to help guide the Center’s staff in
program and building design.
The five traditional villages
represent the five major Alaska Native cultures and offer a look into each
culture’s crafts and lifestyle.
Alaska Sealife Center
A scenic 2.5-hour drive to the
shores of Resurrection Bay in Seward.
Accessible by road, rail, air
and sea, the new Alaska SeaLife Center is one of the state’s top attractions.
The Center is the world’s first
cold-water marine institute, dedicated to preserving the marine environment
through research, rehabilitation and education.
Interactive exhibits and
discovery programs allow hands-on experience.
Three different habitats, with
viewing above and below the water’s surface, mirror the natural surroundings of
Resurrection Bay. Visitors can view endangered Steller Sea Lions, harbor seals,
and countless seabirds as they live and interact as they would in the wild.
This 115,000-square-foot
facility is operated by the Alaska SeaLife Center - a private, non-profit
corporation. Scientific leadership is provided by the University of Alaska
Fairbanks.
Tours of the Center are
self-guided
Imaginarium
737 W. 5th Ave.
907/276-3179
Admission charged.
Mon.-Sat. 10-6, Sun. noon-5.
Children can stand inside a
giant soap bubble at the bubble lab, hold a starfish in the marine exhibit,
learn about the northern lights, or take a galaxy tour in the planetarium at
this experiential science museum. Featured attractions include an iguana, an
alligator, and even a 19-ft python.
Anchorage
