Art & Culture

A significant asset that contributes to the high quality of life is the variety of cultural events, attractions, and performances available in Anchorage year-round. Anchorage residents truly appreciate the high caliber of these exhibitions.

Anchorage has a 95-piece symphony orchestra, the Anchorage Opera, the Anchorage Concert Chorus, and many other groups devoted to the production, design, and performance of the arts.

Brightening Anchorage’s dark nights, the Anchorage Concert Association brings 17 to 20 world-class performing artists and productions to the community each year. The 2000-2001 season includes: the Moscow Festival Ballet, Sydney Dance Theater, Chicago, A Comedy of Errors, and the annual production of the beloved Nutcracker Ballet. More information can be found on-line at www.anchorageconcerts.org.

Located next to Town Square in downtown Anchorage, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts accommodates nearly 3,000 patrons. The center, which celebrated its 10th anniversary three years ago, hosts more than 200,000 guests annually. It is home to eight resident performing arts companies and has featured mega-musicals such as CATS, Grease, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Big River. Additionally, the center hosts the world famous International Ice Carving Competition as part of the Fur Rendezvous festival in February.

The Anchorage Museum of History and Art offers the opportunity to see splendid objects from Alaska’s past and present. On the second floor of the museum is the Alaska Gallery, which displays more than 1,000 objects that portray the history and people of the state. The largest museum in the state, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art contains more than 93,000 square feet of space. The collections and exhibits, lectures, films, children’s programs, and special events attract more than 250,000 residents and travelers each year.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center, located off the Glenn Highway, is an educational and cultural institution for all Alaskans, which provides programs in both academic and informal settings, including workshops, demonstrations and guided tours of indoor exhibits and outdoor village sites. Local residents and visitors to Alaska are introduced to Native traditions and customs of both the past and present. The indoor Welcome House celebrates contemporary Alaska Native cultures while the outdoor facilities and sites allow the exploration of ancient tradition and the presentation of stories from the past.

The Imaginarium is a place where kids can experience science and culture. Designed as a hands-on facility, The Imaginarium entertains kids of all ages while teaching them about science, nature and space through constructed displays in a kid-friendly environment.

Other cultural facilities include the 8,700 seat George M. Sullivan Arena, which houses a large ice rink and has room enough to accommodate hockey games, rock concerts, or rodeos; the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, with 37,170 square feet of space; and the Z.J. Loussac Library, with the 232-seat Wilda Marston Theater.