We were told this building was a former Girls' school started during the gold rush that failed when most of the girls found a more lucrative vocation in the rough and tumble Skagway of the time. Don't know how true this was, but it adds to the visit!Museum contains a hodge-poge of items from Skagway's past. Some were from the not-so-distant past (like the Victrola), but overall, the random variety is what made it interesting. The small museum shop had some relatively inexpensive items for gifts beyond what was for sale on the main drag. Good for a 30-60 minute visit.
This was a great stop to look at the history of Skagway and Alaska. Don't miss the quilt made out of duck necks. Sounds strange, but was actually quite beautiful. They also had a beaver pelt you could touch. I wasn't expecting it to be so soft! And on a wall was a quill from a whale's mouth, used to filter food as they eat (I may be remembering the name wrong). It was quite large and you are able to touch it. On a whale watching excursion out of Juneau, one was passed around, but the one at the museum was several times bigger. If you enjoy history, make sure you stop by.
Very quick and easy way to understand the history of the Gold trail of more than 100 years ago. Unbelievable.
quick stop for historical perspective of town and its importance during the gold rush era. Nice exhibit
This is a nice little museum and well worth the $2 admission fee. It's situated in easy walking distance from the main drag and provides some nice little exhibits.
Great way to learn about Skagway and its past. Bookstore on sight. Even the building itself has some history.
I happened upon this museum by chance. Off the main hubs of the city (which is saying a lot since Skagway is about the size of a neighborhood in larger American cities), I thought this museum was a church at first. It was certainly the newest looking building I saw the entire time I was there. I paid two bucks to enter, and walked around the tiny exhibits that essentially told the story of the citizens of Skagway. Everyone from police and firemen, teachers, business men (and women!), and all social statuses were represented through their personal artifacts and belongings. There was more information about the now defunct fraternal society called the Arctic Brotherhood (whose lodge is still standing and is an information center for the city). I enjoyed that there was a lot of information about how women were able to make their own way in a town that was so overrun with men- not all the successful women in Skagway had to work at a Saloon, and I was glad to see more information about the entrepreneurs of the time. My favorite non-artifact portion of the museum? The SUPER clean bathrooms. That's always a big plus for me, and the entire place was spotless and sanitary looking!
Thanks Ladies! Please return the garters! Seriously, the serious actors played their roles with wonderful excitement which captivated the audience as they pulled us into the historic tale of Soapy Smith. The cast transformed me from Marty to "Skagway Marty" and stole my heart. If I shared more, I might spoil the fun and surprises. So, my review will stop here but the memories of this 2 hour play will last a lifetime. Again, thanks Ladies and thanks Soapy-Well done! Don't miss this superbly performed show. I forget the cost, but it was well worth every dime. Oh yeah, I said this was the highlight, keep in mind I participated in the Love and Marriage game, the Quest, the Ice Bucket Challenge, complete the song where I won the keychain of shame, among other activities. All were fun but this my friends was THE HIGHLIGHT!!! It's a clean, fun, family show.
This gives a good history of Skagway - worth the time to see. It was very interesting on how the goldfields were reached, the history and travels of those who made the effort.
In a way its important to remind people of the devils we all get stuck with; but I just don't want devils getting more than their due.prettiest building in town