Nov 10 2007
MUSEUM OF THE NORTH, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
The museum of the north alaska is located at the University of Alaska. The museum’s design and display have spread its fame across the land. In northern Alaska most buildings are cube shaped, this design is favored because it is cheap and easy to heat- winter temperature can reach 50 below. The museum of the north building takes its design from the natural Alaskan landscape, from one end it appears as though it’s rising from an iceberg on others it hints at a giant whale breaching the surface. The museum reopened in may after a $40 million expansion which included renovating the old museum and building the new wing. The new museum is the brain child of a native New Yorker, Dr. Jonaitis, when she took up her job; the museum was over crowded and sat in an uninspiring cubic building. She intended for the museum to be the main museum and most talked about in Alaska, a feat she has achieved. The museum display is an eclectic mix of modern and Native American art displayed side by side; this type of display is a first in America. Opinions are divided however the majority seem to have been taken by the idea with many prominent artist displaying their works here, on the other side are those who think the two forms of art should not be displayed together because they are very different from each other. Dr. Jonaitis actually planed to have them together, for years museums have segregated modern art from native art, this has turned out to be the magic ingredient, and now people can enjoy modern art which they are already familiar with and at the same take in Native American art.
