What it's like
Totem Heritage Center preserves and interprets the totem poles of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples. Its core is a collection of original 19th-century poles, recovered from uninhabited Tlingit settlements on Village Island and Tongass Island south of Ketchikan, and from the Haida village of Old Kasaan. The collection is on the National Register of Historic Places.
A visit is mostly time with the poles. Sixteen of the thirty-three poles in the collection are on display, and the rest are kept for research. The center also shows work by Tlingit carver Nathan Jackson and Haida weaver Delores Churchill. Art classes run throughout the year.
Good to know
- The center charges a fee and is open more days in summer.
- Ketchikan is one of the rainiest cities in North America, so bring a rain layer for the walk.
Totem Heritage Center
Totem Heritage Center is a museum at 601 Deermount Street that holds one of the world's largest collections of unrestored 19th-century totem poles. Visitors also see Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian art and watch carvers at work.
Tours that go here
Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
A Forest Service visitor center in downtown Ketchikan, with exhibits on the Tongass rainforest, native cultures and wildlife. A good first stop in town.
Totem Bight State Historical Park
Totem Bight State Historical Park is a 33-acre state park on the ocean about 10 miles north of Ketchikan. It holds a collection of totem poles and a replica of a traditional chieftain's house.
Saxman Totem Park
A public park in the city of Saxman, just south of Ketchikan, with a collection of totem poles. Many poles came from abandoned Tlingit villages in the region.
Creek Street
Creek Street is a wooden boardwalk built on stilts above Ketchikan Creek, the most scenic stretch of downtown. Shops, galleries and old brothel buildings line the walk.
The same kind of day, elsewhere
Museums
