Sheldon Jackson Museum
The Sheldon Jackson Museum is a Native American museum located on the former campus of Sheldon Jackson College on Baranof Island in Sitka, Alaska, United States. It was the first museum in Alaska when it was founded in 1887, and is currently owned and administered by the State of Alaska.
History
The museum, collection, and grounds are owned at administed by the State of Alaska. Organized within the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums, the Sheldon Jackson Museum was purchased by the State in the mid-1980s during the administration of Governor Bill Sheffield. The museum has no administrative connection to neighboring Sheldon Jackson College.
Sheldon Jackson Museum was founded in 1887, becoming the first museum in the state of Alaska. However, its collection soon outgrew its temporary quarters and a new specially dedicated concrete structure was constructed between 1895 and 1897 and, upon completion, became the first concrete structure built in Alaska. The museum continues to be located in this structure.
Collection
Many of the artifacts housed in the museum (over 5,000) were originally collected by Rev. Sheldon Jackson in his travels through rural Alaska. The museum's collection almost exclusively focus on Alaskan Native groups such as the Aleuts, Athabascans, Eskimos, and Tlingit/Tsimshian.
An affiliated advocacy group, Friends of the Sheldon Jackson Museum, operate an on-site museum gift shop that exclusively carries items crafted by Alaska Native artists. The organization also sponsors several museum programs, including the Alaska Native Artist Demonstrators Program during the summer months.