Alaska Railroad Depot
The depot is home to the historic Alaska Railroad and was built in 1942. In addition to the regular coming and going of trains, the depot is home to an antique train engine that was used to build the Panama Canal. There are many historical photos in the depot, and there is a gift shop.
Where: 411 W. First Ave.
When: Open daily
Cost: Free
Phone: 265-2494
Web: www.alaskarailroad.com
Alaska Experience Center
The center is the home of two unique Alaska adventures, the Alaska Experience Theatre and the Alaska Earthquake Theatre and exhibit. The Experience Theatre treats visitors to a 180-degree, wrap-around, dome-screen presentation of "Alaska the Greatland." The 40-minute motion picture showcases Alaska's wildlife, scenery and people. The earthquake exhibit focuses on the history and destruction of Alaska's 1964 Good Friday earthquake. It includes historical photographs, interactive displays and a movie presentation including an earthquake simulation. There also is a gift shop at the center.
Where: 705 W. Sixth Ave.
When: 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Cost: "Alaska the Greatland": $7.99 adults, $3.99 children 5-12, free children younger than 5; earthquake exhibit: $5.99/$3.99/free; both shows: $9.99/$6.99/free.
Phone: 1-877-276-3730, 276-3730
Web: www.alaskaexperiencetheatre. com
Alaska Public Lands Information Center
Take a walk, watch a movie or get a map at the center, home to tons of information and plenty of exhibits about Alaska. There are natural history exhibits, a variety of movies about the entire state every hour and a one-hour live program at 2 p.m. daily with special speakers and visitors from the Alaska Zoo. At 11 a.m. daily there is a guided Capt. Cook walk. Visitors are invited to walk with a guide to Resolution Park and learn about Cook's travels to Alaska. The center has a trip-planning area and sells passes to state and national parks. Geographic information stations include topographic maps and GPS information. Information is available on the Alaska Marine Highway and public-use cabins.
Where: 605 W. Fourth Ave.
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Cost: Free
Phone: 271-2737
Web: www.nps.gov/aplic
Alaska State Troopers Museum
The museum tells the history of law enforcement in Alaska as a territory and as a state. It features exhibits, memorabilia and photographs, including troopers uniforms and a 1950s-era police car. There is a gift shop.
Where: 245 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 113
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays
Cost: Free
Phone: 1-800-770-5050, 279-5050
Web: www.alaskatroopermuseum. com
Anchorage City Trolley Tours
The one-hour tour takes trolley riders past some of Anchorage's interesting sites, including the railroad, Lake Hood, Earthquake Park and the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.
Where: 612 W. Fourth Ave.
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Cost: $10 adults, $5 children
Phone: 276-5603
Anchorage Market and Festival
Food, arts, crafts and a beautiful setting make the market an excellent shopping experience or just a good place for some outdoor fun overlooking Ship Creek. Vendors will sell Matanuska Valley vegetables, herbs and flowers. Local artists and crafters provide framed photographs and artwork as well as clothing, jewelry and pottery. Food choices include pizza, reindeer hot dogs, halibut tacos, funnel cakes, salmon quesadillas and ethnic foods. There are more than 300 vendors, free live entertainment on the stage and buskers in the aisles.
Where: Third Avenue and E Street
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, May 13 to Sept. 10
Cost: Free to browse
Phone: 272-5634
Web: www.anchoragemarkets.com
Anchorage Museum of History and Art
The state's largest museum brings 10,000 years of history and beautiful artwork together in one place. The museum's summer exhibits include "The Alaska Railroad," "Southwest Alaska and Wood-Tikchik: Alaska's Great Watershed" and "Hunters of the Sky" from the Science Museum of Minnesota.
"The Alaska Railroad" highlights the history of the construction and development of the railroad and the communities tied to it. Using photographs from the museum's archives, the exhibit traces the railroad from its beginning in 1910 in Seward through the driving of the golden spike by President Harding in 1923. "Southwest Alaska and Wood-Tikchik" exhibits Robert Glenn Ketchum's photographs of Wood-Tikchik State Park, a wilderness area larger than Washington state. The area is accessible only by boat, plane or foot. "Hunters of the Sky" looks at birds of prey -- eagles, hawks, falcons, owls and osprey -- and the impact they have on humans. The exhibit explains how the birds are uniquely adapted to their ecological niches and the prominent role they have played in human culture through a sampling of their use as symbols in art, literature and religions of the world. The Children's Gallery exhibition, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Transportation and Travel in Art," opens June 18. Local artists, authors and craftspeople create and sell items during the daily Art Potpourri program at the museum. The program is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily June 15 to Aug. 15.
The museum's permanent collection depicts 10,000 years of Alaska history, including Native subsistence lifestyles, European exploration, Russian-American history and contemporary times. The museum also features art of the north from travelers, adventurers and Native artists. Jazz Night is offered on the first Friday of every month. The Marx Bros. Cafe serves lunch and snacks in the museum's atrium. The Anchorage Museum Shop features unique works from Alaska artists and artisans.
Where: 121 W. Seventh Ave.
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; open until 9 p.m. Thursdays May 15 to Sept. 15
Cost: $6.50 adults, $6 seniors, free for children 17 and younger, but a $2 donation is suggested
Phone: 343-4326
Web: www.anchorage museum.org
'Aurora -- Alaska's Great Northern Lights'
Since visitors can't see the northern lights outdoors during Alaska's long summer days, the spectacular aurora is visible indoors at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. More than 25 years' worth of rare images of the aurora borealis are set to music in a 40-minute digital show.
Where: Sydney Laurence Theatre, 621 W. Sixth Ave.
When: Hourly shows from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, May 24 to Sept. 1
Cost: $8.75 adults, $7.75 seniors, $6.75 military and children
Phone: 263-2993
Web: www.thealaskacollection.com
Cyrano's
The charming theater-cafe-bookstore is a cultural minimall for visitors to the historic D Street area. Cyrano's Off Center Playhouse has an eclectic offering of a different play each month, including Alaska originals and classic and contemporary works. The theater is in one of Anchorage's oldest structures, built in 1915. The cafe features beer and wine, appetizer plates and desserts. There also is a comedy improv troupe, poetry readings and special events. It is a recipient of the Governor's Arts Award for arts organization and the Mayor's Arts Award for an outstanding arts organization.
Where: 413 D St.
When: Hours vary, but play performances are 7 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays
Cost: Plays are $17.50 adults, $15 seniors, students and military
Phone: 274-2599
Web: www.cyranos.org
Cultural Faire
It is a multicultural gathering with music and dance.
Where: Peratrovich Park, Fourth Avenue and E Street
When: 2 to 3 p.m. Saturdays, June 10 to Aug. 12
Cost: Free
Phone: 279-5650
Web: www.anchoragedowntown.org
Delaney Park Strip
The long, blockwide downtown park is the gathering place for a variety of festivals during the summer months. Additionally, it has tennis courts, volleyball courts, softball diamonds, a train engine built in 1943 and the beautiful Centennial Rose Garden. During its long history, the park has served as a firebreak and an airstrip.
Where: Between Ninth and 10th avenues and A and P streets
When: Daily
Cost: Free
Imaginarium Science Discovery Center
The hands-on science center is great for kids -- and for adults who still like learning. It includes a planetarium, hourly science demonstrations, exhibits on Arctic ecology, space, an Alaska marine touch tank, a bubble lab, physics, a life-size T. rex, reptiles and an activity station. There is a gift shop. The center provides statewide outreach programs.
Where: 737 W. Fifth Ave.
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays
Cost: $5.50 adults, $5 children
Phone: 276-3179
Web: www.imaginarium.org
Live After Five
The summer concert includes some of Alaska's most popular bands and performers.
Where: Town Square
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, June 15 to Aug. 3
Cost: Free
Phone: 279-5650
Web: www.anchoragedowntown.org
Log Cabin Visitors Center
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau's downtown location is a hub of activity and information, with dozens of local volunteers on hand to help visitors. Brochures, activity information and maps are available. The grounds around the log cabin are colorful with blooming flowers.
Where: Fourth Avenue and F Street
When: 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily June to August; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily May and September
Cost: Free
Phone: 274-3531
Web: www.anchorage.net
Music in the Park
Pack a lunch or buy one from local vendors and enjoy some live lunchtime tunes. Music varies from jazz to bagpipes and top 40.
Where: Peratrovich Park, Fourth Avenue and E Street
When: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, June 2 to Aug. 30
Cost: Free
Phone: 279-5650
Web: www.anchoragedowntown.org
Oscar Anderson House Museum
The house, built in 1915 by Swedish immigrant Oscar Anderson, is one of the city's first. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is Anchorage's only house museum. Many of the original artifacts belonging to the family are in the home.
Where: 420 M St.
When: Noon to 5 p.m. weekdays, June 1 to mid-September
Cost: $3 adults, $1 children ages 5-12
Phone: 274-2336
Russian Orthodox Museum
While the museum is barely two years old, the history of Russian Orthodoxy in Alaska is much older, with the first missionaries arriving in 1794. Items on display include processional banners, rare icons and a kayak frame used by missionaries. Many of the museum's artifacts represent a blending of Russian religious traditions with Native Alaska cultures. Some artifacts date back as far as the 18th century. The museum includes a gift shop and a coffee shop.
Where: 605 A St.
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays
Cost: Free
Phone: 276-7257, 258-7257
Web: www.dioceseofalaska.org
SegTours of Anchorage
Hop aboard a two-wheeled Segway for a tour of downtown Anchorage that includes Town Square, Ship Creek, Resolution Park and the historic town site. The tour is about 75 minutes. Reservations required.
Where: 630 W. Fourth Ave.
When: 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. daily, Memorial Day to Labor Day
Cost: $49
Phone: 441-1124
Ship Creek
The popular urban fishery is great for salmon anglers who only have a few hours or for sightseers who want to watch the big fish head upstream.
Where: Near the railroad tracks north of First Avenue
When: Open daily; fishing times vary
Cost: Free to watch
Ship Creek Center
There is plenty of shopping at the center, but it's also an art, cultural, educational and entertainment destination. Points of interest include an exhibit on the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, a historical timeline of Anchorage, a Tlingit totem pole, video showings on the history of Fourth Avenue and "Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska." There also are free Alaska Native Heritage Center performances at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily from June 1 to Aug. 31.
Where: Fourth Avenue and C Street
When: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays
Cost: Free
Phone: 278-3263
Web: www.shipcreekcenter.com
Theatre Thursdays
Enjoy a cultural lunch with live outdoor theater provided by TBA Theatre Company.
Where: Peratrovich Park, Fourth Avenue and E Street
When: Noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays, June 15 to Aug. 17
Cost: Free
Phone: 279-5650
Web: www.anchoragedowntown.org
Town Square Park
It's hard to miss the park in the heart of the downtown area, and if Town Square isn't on your itinerary, change your itinerary. Town Square is planted with beautiful flowers, there is a water fountain, it has an excellent view of the Whaling Wall painted by artist Wyland. The park hosts many community events during summer.
Where: Between Fifth and Sixth avenues and E and F streets
When: Open daily
Wendler Building
The Wendler is one of the oldest buildings in Anchorage and is on the National Register of Historic Places; it at one time housed the city's only general store. It's Anchorage's only building with a corner turret. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins each March in front of the building, and there is a bronze statue of Balto, the famous sled dog.
Where: Fourth Avenue and D Street
When: Daily
Cost: Free
'Wild Salmon on Parade'
For the fourth summer, Alaska artists will turn molded salmon sculptures into creative, beautiful and unique art. Up to 20 artists are expected to participate in the outdoor display modeled after "Cows on Parade" in Chicago. The finished works will be displayed throughout downtown. Many of the pieces are outdoors. A map is available on the Web site.
Where: Downtown Anchorage
When: June to August
Cost: Free
Web: www.anchorage.net/salmon
4th Avenue Theatre
Step back into history at Anchorage's only art deco building, which opened in 1947, survived the 1964 earthquake and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for more than 20 years. It was the city's first $1 million building. It includes beautiful interior architecture, including marble, walnut, custom carpet and huge gold- and silver-leaf murals on the walls of the theater depicting scenes from Alaska history.
Where: 630 W. Fourth Ave.
When: Open daily
Phone: 257-5609
Cost: Free
