Totem Heritage Center

Visited here in June 2025. Walked here from the dock and followed the creek. There are buses that will drop you off, but if you are out walking around town, you can make it by foot. Entry was six dollars. It was cool to see the history and old totems. Worth stopping in if you like history. Only spent 20 to 30 minutes to see the whole museum.

Would have lovwd to check this place out but they would not accept our cash (unfortunately we only had a $100 bill and 2 × $1 bills) There's no signage or notifications anywhere prior to the actual museum ticket window. They will ONLY accept $50 bills or less The reaspn provided was due to counterfeit money in the past. Pretty unfortunate for a city-run attraction

It is a very nice museum with a lot of examples of native carvings and totem poles for your viewing pleasure. Right next to a fish hatchery, unfortunately closed to the public, and a public park which is well maintained across a bridge from the parking area. Would recommend as it is so we'll done and kept very well.

A historic museum for ancient totem culture and people are very generous It is a very nice museum with a lot of examples of native carvings and totem poles for your viewing pleasure. Right next to a fish hatchery, unfortunately closed to the public, and a public park which is well maintained across a bridge from the parking area. Would recommend as it is so we'll done and kept very well.

Totally worth going if you like history, culture, and art. There is a free shuttle you can take from town, it's part of a loop that includes the salmon run. You learn a lot about history of the local tribes. Highly recommend. Can easily spend a couple hours. We walked from town there, BUT it's a little long and uphill!

Really cool and very interesting. My favorite were the really old totem poles in the glass cases. Small place that can be done in an hour. There is a free shuttle you can take.

The Totem Heritage Center can be reached as the last stop on the free Ketchikan shuttle bus. Entry is $6 adult or $5 senior. The center includes a detailed description of the use of totems and includes many recovered or recreated examples. This is a great example of cooperation between the local and Alaskan Givernment and native organizations. As well as the totems there us an expansive section on native weaving artistry.

Great information by the guide. Learned so much from her talk. She covered so much history of the totem. The center also displays and supports new art. It was a nice visit. The walk to the center was beautiful.

Another informational stop along the Ketchican Salmon Walk...very cool totems. If you are taking a stroll on the Salmon Walk, halfway through you can stop and at Ketchican's Totem Heritage Center that's filled with relics from Tlingit, Haida, and Tshitian cultures. Beautiful x-ray art on woven and wooden mediums. It's quick and if your military, it's FREE. I enjoy exposing my kids to culture wherever we go and this is available within walking distance if the downtown. Very cool stop away from the cruise ship.

This is a must-see stop in Ketchikan. It's a bit of a hike (up a fairly steep hill), but it's worth it. There's also a free bus that runs from downtown. I'm unsure as to the admission fee (we got in free due to a member of our party being a retired member of the military), but whatever it is, pay it.

If you want to see how totem poles are made, this is a great museum. You can see poles that were in the making also bead work. It's a smaller museum and it can get a little crowded. This is a free shuttle stop back to the main area of town.

A great spot! If you're visiting (cruise ship or not) definitely stop by here. Such a great and unique experience! The staff was absolutely incredible, the lady at the window was so sweet!

On our cruise to Alaska Ketchikan was one of our stops. We decided to explore on our own for various reasons. This town is totally walkable if you decide to do so. They also offer a free bus, keep in mind the cruise isnt gonna give you all these tips. The bus drops you off a few feet from Totem Heritage Center. The guide on the bus was really helpful with our during our stay. Once you arrive there are a few poles outside and things to read. The fee is really reasonable and free for the military with a ID card. Pick up the free maps and guides upon entering. We spent a few hrs reading and taking our time admiring the beauty inside. This is one of the reasons I like exploring on my own versus tours. Once we where done inside we walk back into town to watch the salmon jumping upstream. Ive lived in Alaska so we had seen this before. The Totem Poles are absolutely beautiful and a sight to see! There is another stop where I viewed a guy carving the poles, that's in another review.

Our Holland America cruise ship stopped in Ketchikan and my hubby and I wanted to explore the town on our own so we took an easy walk over to the Totem Heritage Center to learn a little more about local culture. What a wonderful choice! We absolutely loved it! Gorgeous walk, no crowds, and a beautiful little museum. It was such a perfect afternoon. And the cherry on top was the stunningly beautiful park right next door. Don't miss this gem!

Due to the history of the town, it seemed appropriate to stop off and visit some of the totem heritage. The center is small, but has some interesting information. Would I visit again? Probably not, but it was nice to see. A few things to note: 1.) The admission cost in April is $6.00. 2.) There is a free shuttle that takes you to downtown. The shuttle stops right in front of the center and it comes and goes every 15-20 minutes.

Nice museum that provides an in depth history on the origins and meanings of the the Alaskan Totem Poles that basically are the ancestral record of the generations of the same family captured in symbols. There are many authentic totem poles of varying ages to see at this museum where it goes into great detail on the history of these poles and the ongoing effort to save and preserve as may of these old poles as possible as a way of preserving Alaska's historical past and share it with future generations. Most of the focus you see when traveling to Alaska is on the beautiful terrain and eco-system, deservedly so, and not so much on the indigenous people and their history. Even though it has a narrow focus, this museum provided the people/culture side of the Alaskan story and the best example I saw of this during my 11 day trip to the state. Aside from the totem poles there are also nice displays and storylines on the clothing, hand tools, boats and basket weaving used by the original Alaskans. If you are into the history of an area and its people then you should definately check out this museum. It is a relatively short/easy walk from downtown and the cruise terminals and one of if not the cheapest excursion you will find at this port.

Learning about totem poles was fun and interesting. A beautiful little park that everyone should see. Learn about the history and stories of why the totem pole is important.

Beautiful totem poles and scenery. Everything is explained very well. Plenty of space. Easy to get too

Such a wonderful experience! The woman at the ticket area was wonderful. She provided us detailed information about the exhibits and the local tribes. The Totem Heritage Center was well organized. The placards were descriptive and informative. It was cool to read the stories behind the totem poles. Such a great experience! The walk from the cruise port area was nice.

Such a lovely piece of history to explore with a gorgeous landscape surrounding it. Tour guides are very knowledgeable! Kinda lame we couldn't go inside if we weren't a part of a cruise ship tour (we went on our own). The Village Store has amazing indigenous art and souvenirs with very nice staff.

Located just 1/2 mile from the cruise port, we had not planned on stopping in but since the free shuttle broke down at this 1st stop we decided to check it out. The small museum was rustic and pretty. It sits along side a rapid salmon run and from the bridge, you could see the salmon trying to make their way upstream.

History? Yes, I'll take it all in. It's sad that much of this history was lost due to the ignorance and intolerance from those who migrated to and settled on this land. I was happy to see the culture making a comeback through teaching and sharing. This lands indigenous people have so much history to offer, this Totem center is definite stop for those who are willing to learn about the culture.

Modest but exceptionally well maintained cultural exhibit. Makes for a pleasant short visit. Modest entrance fee.

If you're spending a port day in Ketchikan & didn't pre-book an excursion, stop by the visitors center and pickup the self-guided walking map. From the visitors center, it's about a 20 minute walk to the Totem Heritage Center. Although there's a free shuttle, I recommend walking if the weather is good since on the walk you can see Ketchikan Creek & depending on the time of year, you might even see salmon swimming upstream. Totem Heritage Center (admission: $6 adults; $5 seniors) was informative but rather small.. perhaps 2.5 rooms total. We spend probably 10-15 mins browsing around. On the return trip, we hopped on the free shuttle located right outside the heritage center entrance (when you purchase totem heritage center tickets, ask the staff for the shuttle pickup times) & it took us all the way back to the cruise port.

We were with a friend who is a local so we got a lot of information about the totem poles. I'm not sure if they have guides or not

Really nice and easy walk from either the downtown area or the Cruise Ship Pier. We enjoyed very much our walk over from the cruise ship and found the chance to get a better understanding of the First Nation's culture very appealing. Definite must see.

This is a great museum in Ketchikan that has a focus on Totem poles. If your in Ketchikan and want to learn about totem poles, this is where you need to head off to.

Instead of taking an excursion, we decided to talk around Ketchikan instead during our cruise stop. It's a compact town and easy to navigate. We visited the Totem Heritage Center based on a recommendation by a lecturer on our ship. It's a small museum but worth a visit to learn about native history. I got choked up when I read about how much native culture and heritage was destroyed as Europeans entered Alaska but at least some of it is being preserved and remembered at the Totem Heritage Center. Please support this place!

We stopped by here instead of going to Totem Park as that was much further. Overall it was informing but there wasn't too much to the center. It cost about $6 to get in. There is a free shuttle that can take you there and back. We opted into walking. It's a little up hill on the way there. But it's worth it to check out the stream by the salmon hatchery to see all the fish on your walk there! You'll probably spend less than an hour at the actual center.

Fun little place to learn about totem poles. If you have the time, I recommend walking here from the port because you can stop by creek street as a little detour, otherwise there is a free shuttle that will take you to and from the port. Walking from the port may take about 20 minutes and can be a bit strenuous to some people because there is an incline/hill right before you reach the Heritage Center. There is a creek, bridge, and bench at the entrance for photo opportunities. The Heritage Center is pretty small but a really cool place to take the little ones. Loved the photo of the totem pole carved with Abraham Lincoln on the top (see if you can find it in the museum).

When we were visiting Ketchikan, we found our way to the Totem Heritage Center. Since we didn't bother going to the Totem Park in Bite, we thought this totem experience would suffice. I think we're right. It's closer to the downtown city center, walking distance from the cruise ships, and still a delight to visit and learn about the history of the totem poles in Ketchikan. Admission was only $5 per adult. There are only 2 people working at this museum, 1 at the cash register and 1 museum docent explaining the history of the totems. So much to see in this tiny center, with ancient totems on display (all indoors) and historical artifacts of the natives who lived in the area back in the day. We learned quite a lot and had opportunity to take some fascinating photos. Well worth our $$ and there are clean restrooms to use inside too! :)

If you ignore all the touristy stuff, most of what there is to do in Ketchikan that's worth doing is historical/cultural/educational. We stopped in our way to hike Deer Mountain & really enjoyed it. Here, you can see around a dozen authentic totem poles that have been rescued & preserved or restored (both inside and outside), and also learn about the history of each one as well as the history of totem poles in general. They also have several other pacific northwest Native American pieces, including garments, baskets, and canoes. Admission is $5, and there's a small tour you can follow if you want to hear more about the culture & history behind the pieces.

This was one of our first shore excursions on our Alaskan Inside Passage cruise. And we're glad we made the effort. Easy walk from the cruise port. These are original totems which were taken from an abandoned indigenous village. Definitely worth the visit for an appreciation of totems and the significance of each.

Fantastic!!! A young man named Joshua was working there and explained the significance of the totems, the tools to build them and the cultural significance they represent. We could tell he is passionate about this knowledge and he had an abundance of it! He made our stop in Ketchikan informative and memorable! A definite stop if you want to learn about the significance of the Indian tribe that resided here. Ask questions!!!

Great place to take classes! I enjoy the staff and teachers. Fun and interactive. I was very pleased with my final product and my son did awesome things at there kids camp.

Underwhelming. Great for a quick stop to check out local history and totems, but a very small museum. It's just a few rooms and can be done within 15 minutes as a casual browser. For a first time visitor to Ketchikan and $6 admission, it's a decent option for a look-see.

Created in 1976 to preserve 19th Century totem poles discovered in nearby abandoned villages, this museum also includes an impressive collection of Native American arts and crafts indigenous to the tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Docent tours available. A worthwhile stop, with terrific photo ops, for cruise ship passengers.

Love this small center. Authentic Totems up close with easy to read explanations of how and why they were made. Easy self guided tour. Great that the town shuttle bus goes here.

I came on a cruise tour just a few weeks ago. We had the opportunity to see many totem pole's around the area. Also, if you are a huge car buff, they have tons of classic cars on their property! The tour took is to various buildings with intricate totem poles and art work. One of the buildings had a totem pole still under construction. The master carver showed us the tools and gave us a brief history about the property. Inside the gift shop there was a neat little "armory". They had a lot of guns ranging from the 1800's till the early 1900's on display. I would highly recommend visiting if you are in Alaska.

Definitely worth a visit. It's a small museum with a low entry fee. But the totem poles on display are breathtaking. They're intricate, thoroughly explained, and beautiful. The staff is very knowledgeable and will gladly talk to you for a long time about the displays. It was a downpour of rain when we were in town. It was cold, water was coming from every which way, and we still walked here. I'm glad we did. Bonus is a cute open park across the bridge from here, and a free shuttle that takes you to the cruise area.

Small museum but a good selection of native Alaskan artifacts to view. Friendly staff.

We visited the Totem Heritage Center right after we left Saxman Native Village. Saxman was disappointing so we almost didn't visit the center but that would have been a mistake. The Heritage Center has some very old, very neat totems to view and gives so much more background on totems, why they are carved, types of totems, etc. We really enjoyed our time here.

This place was amazing. The totems here are unrestored and preserved. They are as authentic as you can get, and truly fascinating. There is a small admission fee, but if this is something you are interested in, I highly suggest it. There are really interesting photographs, art pieces, masks, and cloth from the native people as well and its well worth the trek up the creek. (which by the way was teeming with salmon and just as awesome as the Heritage Center!)

After my hike on Deer Mountain, this was the neatest thing to do in Ketchikan. Period! The size of the collection was great (both older and newer items) and the description of each object was very helpful to the laymen who knows nothing of totem poles or Native Alaskan culture. Admission was $5 which was the best deal I have had in Alaska so far. The descriptions were helpful but not too long to bore me. As a PNWer, I think it made me appreciate this even more. If you're in town, go here and actually LEARN something!

This was a bit smaller than I expected -- three somewhat small rooms - but it is worth a visit. The museum has warm, friendly, knowledgeable staff, who are happy to add information to the excellent signage throughout the exhibits of totem poles and First Nations culture. A few totem poles have been refurbished, but many have been left in their natural state, which made for a fascinating contrast and revealed details you might not see in refurbished work. C$5 for adults is a great price, and kids 12 and under are free.

This is about 10 min walk from the cruise port. Interesting to learn about totem poles. I just followed the guide inside and listened.

Beautiful rain forest, with stunning totem poles. The park ranger at the gate was so helpful and knowledgeable, as was the park ranger in the park as we were strolling through the rain forest.

Good place to take in some local culture. Nice walk from the pier. It was good to stretch out the legs.

Fascinating! The tour was extremely informative. We learned of native tradition, life styles, art and housing. Come to find out we have mistakenly viewed the meaning of the totem incorrectly as an object of worship. In reality it is a address or running history of the tribes ancestors it represents.... Fascinating tour... Recommend highly.

While in Ketchikan, I lived and worked close to the Heritage Center which was a fabulouse place to visit. One of the few totems and powerful teaching aides that pertains to women is Fog Woman. And one of the oldest and most rare versions of her lies within the museum. Outside carved by a Master Carver is another rendition,done in the "old" style, (minimal paint of hand ground minerals). Her story is told when there is maritial conflict as a way of teaching respect for women. She illustrates the woman's duties in stewardship of the salmon ,cooking, feeding of the household(slaves) Women are associated with water, as they carry the waters of life, and with fertility. Charming story for the ladies, illustrating to men, to not take us for granted! Inside are fine examples of exquisite beadwork,some so tiny you can't imagine how they got a needle through. Even today fine beaded blankets are prized and go for lots of money. Visit this place! If you can sneak away drive around town and look at the totems and the different syles and the modern day expressive totems down by Ketchikan Indian Services and the Village of Saxman where they have a circle of Life totem park with very historic totems, reflecting upon Abe Licoln, and Seward and others. See the Totem Bite area, where entirely different totems are being carved by an outstanding female carver, who is making history as carving was once the sole domain of men. After a while you will begin to recognize disticntive artist styles. Fascinating and places to sit for Elderly,disabled. Near a Raptor center and fish hatchery with live bird shows..