totem heritage center

We got to go through this in July and enjoyed it. Not as colorful as the outdoor totem parks. Somewhat difficult to do justice with your photography. You are close and they are tall.

Well worth a visit to learn and appreciate NW Coast totem poles, weaving and art. Both traditional and modern styles of art are exhibited.

Such interesting history, we watched as a master craftsman carved a totem pole and learned that each pole tells the tribes history.

It's unfortunate that the first thing you run into in Ketchikan is shops trying to sell you Columbian Emeralds or Jewelry that you can get at any other cruise stop in the world. I've heard the shops there pack up in the winter and head to the Caribbean so they can get your money at Christmas too. Okay the rant Aside the Totem Heritage Center is impressive. It's a bit of hike along the creek in town but the building has lovely totem poles outside but inside is impressive. Walking into the main gallery is like walking into a cathedral. The full size historic totem poles are over 300 years old and tower above the gallery. The tour of the center is nice but some of the best stuff isn't on display because they don't have room upstairs. One of the guides showed us the downstairs collection of totem poles which were beautiful as well. If you can get pas the stores spend a couple of hours here exploring the poles and learning about the Tlingit, Tsimpsian, and Haida Native cultures.

Having lived on this planet for sometime now, I had never known about the Haida and Tlingit peoples till I visited Alaska. The more I learnt, the more I got fascinated with their cultures and traditions. The Totem Heritage Center was a genuine place where I could learn more and after the Museum visit, I cam out much satisfied. This place has preserved authentic Totems from the last century and also has some amazing photograph collections depicting the ancient nations of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Nations, that ruled these lands many moons ago. Their culture was rich, diverse and intrinsically woven with Mother Earth, before the White People landed. Today the center is an impressive reminder of their greatness and provides guided tours of interpreting the Totems and their significance in the lives of the native Indians. A must do if you are in Ketchikan without a second thought!

No need to take the bus. Walk to creek street and take the wooden stairs and Boardwalk along the salmon ladder. Follow alongside the river and you will come to a sign indicating the Totem Heritage centre. The museum is fairly small with rescued original totem pole. We spent a fair amount of time chatting to the very interesting guide, a gentleman who also sold us the $5 tickets. Probably not enough to interest children but the self guided tour gives lots of information about local life and of course the history of the totem pole. Definitely worth a visit.

Nice museum. A lot of newer artwork and totem poles but they do have a lot of information about totem poles.

We walked to the Totem Heritage Center, via Creek Street, in about fifteen to twenty minutes excluding shopping time in Creek Street! The museum is very well done and has obviously been a labour of love on the part of all those involved. Apart from the poles themselves, there are very good photographs and displays explaining the local history and manufacture of them which really puts it all into context. It is well worth spending as much time as possible here to absorb a lot of interesting and useful information. It is also nice to walk back from here along the river to see the thousands of spawning salmon arriving upstream.

On Tuesday of this week, my husband and I took the free shuttle and visited the heritage center. It was a totally awesome experience. As a former assistant director of a small museum, I was thrilled to see all these beautiful totems preserved. To walk through the heritage center and see the photos gives one a real sense of the history of the area.Afterward, we walked to the bridge and watched all the salmon in the river.

To see the old, rescued totem poles takes you back through the stages of time. Absolutely amazing the creative work that went into the storytelling behind these works of art. Although small in size well worth the visit

Well worth the walk. Skip the free shuttle from downtown and walk. It's worth it! See the salmon, explore the shops. It's really worth the time and effort.

Loved the Park and all of the totems. Good history lesson. Wonderful setting. Spend an hour here. Learn about the totems and their meanings.

Shows totems in various stages of repair and how they created. Admission charged, but a much better value than Saxman park, I am forced to say.

This is a small museum containing old totems that aren't painted brightly like the replicas at the totem parks. The museum contains good signage explaining the totems. The 3 small rooms of the museum can be visited in about 30 minutes and the entry fee is $5 per person.Just outside of the museum is a creek where you can watch the salmon swimming upstream in August/September.

There is an entrance fee of $5 for adults. Children 12 and under are free. The free shuttle makes a stop there or it's a easy walk from the cruise terminal. There was a volunteer in the lobby explaining the history and significance of the totem poles carved from Western red cedar. The totem poles and other carvings were retrieved in the 1970s from the Tlingit Indian villages at Tongass Island, the Village Island, and from the Haida village of Old Kasaan, on Prince of Wales Island.