Simon Paneak Memorial Museum

Simon Paneak Memorial Museum


	Courtesy of EatStayPlay.com

The Simon Paneak Memorial Museum is a combination Local History and Ethnographic Museum, located in the village of Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. It is housed in a handsome log structure situated on high ground near the northwest corner of the village, overlooking the community and the broad panorama of the summit of the Anaktuvuk Pass. Named in honor of an early village leader and respected elder, the museum was established in 1986 through the efforts of the entire community, and is currently operated by the Planning Department of the North Slope Borough.

The museum's exhibits focus upon the history, culture and traditional lifestyle of the Nunamiut. It hosts 1000 square feet of exhibit space, covering a variety of topics designed to draw a broad informative sketch of the Nunamiut way of life. Introductory panels begin by highlighting the origins and physical environment of the Brooks Range, as well as the origins and history of the Nunamiut themselves. These are followed by additional panels portraying their seasonal pattern of subsistence activities, ranging from hunting and fishing through trapping and trading. Strong emphasis is placed upon exhibits illustrating the importance of caribou as the foundation of the Nunamiut people's economy, culture and once nomadic lifestyle. Their story is finally rounded out with a pictorial essay about the settling of America's last group of nomadic Eskimos into the permanent village of Anaktuvuk Pass.

Also associated with the museum is the Hans Van Der Laan Brooks Range Library Collection which emphasizes general, as well as, scientific and research references relating to the Brooks Range, the Nunamiut and other earlier and contemporary peoples of the area.