You are here

Home » Interactive Exhibits Part Of New Look For Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Interactive Exhibits Part Of New Look For Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Share
By NPT Staff - November 18th, 2016

After a three-year, $900,000 renovation, you can smell sourdough, experience a rafting trip on the Yukon River, and try to strike it rich at the visitor center and museum at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Alaska.

The new gold rush exhibits debut on December 2 following the Holiday Concert in the NPS Auditorium at 6 p.m. The exhibits were designed and built by Formations Inc. of Portland, Oregon. According to a Park Service release, "visitors can smell sourdough and eulachon oil, step into a muddy boot print, 'raft' down the Yukon River, and spin a game show-style wheel to see if they strike it rich … or die."

"It’s been a long process, and we’re really proud of the final result,” said education specialist Jason Verhaeghe. “These exhibits tell the story of the gold rush by following five real characters, helping visitors feel like they’re on a journey themselves.”

In addition to being fun and tactile, the new exhibits are now legally accessible. There is ample room for wheelchairs to maneuver, and text is low and large enough for kids and seated visitors to read. Selected text is duplicated in braille, and by next summer, there will be an audio description of the exhibit to aid visitors who are visually impaired. Large graphics convey the main concepts and emotions of the gold rush even to visitors who don’t read English fluently.

Like past years, the visitor center and museum will remain free. In winter, the museum is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but is closed on federal holidays. The visitor center is closed for winter and will re-open for the 2017 summer season.

Comments

Submitted by Megaera on November 18, 2016 - 6:38pm.

I wondered whether it was the visitor center in Seattle or the one in Skagway until I clicked on the headline.  The visitor center in Seattle just got redone a few years ago, and it's great.  I'm glad the one in Skagway got a redo, too.


Submitted by Rick B. on November 18, 2016 - 6:44pm.

My wife was the curator for this collection for some years before we left Alaska last summer. At various times nearly all park staff and many local citizens were able to contribute to the efforts. We're glad to hear of this success as well as Jeff Smith's Parlor.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.