No visit to Alaska would be complete without a souvenir to remember it by.
From T-shirts to salmon-skin wallets, from picture books to diamond-willow walking sticks, a shopper in Alaska can come back with the goods.
A bonus of shopping in Alaska is finding works produced by Native artisans in such materials as walrus ivory, baleen and fur. These are available in stores at many destinations and ports.
Alaska is home to exceptional artists in a variety of media.
Many gift shops downtown carry carved ivory, whale bone or moose antlers. All the artists have unique styles and often stories behind their work.
For example, step inside the doors of Alaska Ivory Exchange, 700 W. Fourth Ave. in Anchorage, and it's like stepping back in time. The store is stocked with artwork carved from woolly mammoths, fossilized whale bone, walrus, moose and other animals.
The Ivory Exchange's Matt Hayes said people are surprised they can afford many of the items.
"We have all different price ranges," Hayes said. "We've got things where grandmas can come in and buy something for each of their granddaughters. On the other end, we have very intricately carved items that can be pricey."
Hayes said his shop is home to some of the finest scrimshaw around. He said it's a dying art form with only a few Native Alaskans still producing the art.
Alaska also is home to many furriers. And Anchorage's furriers offer a variety of clothing items.
Malena Hausinger, manager of Alaska Fur Gallery, said most of the furs sold in her store come from ranches. The store sells mink, fox, beaver, lynx, wolf, muskrat and other animal furs. Most of the furs are made in Alaska. In addition to coats, the store sells scarves, headbands, mukluks, purses and other items.
She said fur prices are lower in Alaska than in the Lower 48.
"When tourists come in they think fur because they're in Alaska." Hausinger said. "Often the women are joking to their husbands saying, 'I'm going to get that fur coat I always wanted.' Then they actually do it."
The downtown Saturday Market offers other gift-buying opportunities. In addition to food items, the market is often home to crafts, jewelry, artwork, framed photographs and an array of souvenirs.
"Our prices are a lot lower than down in Lower 48." That's because we sell furs year-round. Only in Alaska is it a year-round business."
