What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm

The Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum

Name: The Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum
Address: 303 Lowe Street, Valdez, AK, 99686, US
Telephone: (907) 834-1690
Price range: $

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The Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum

We are closed for the season. OPEN MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY. Admission is by donation. Closed Sundays.

Come see one of the largest collections of Alaska Native art and artifacts, ivory carving, minerals and natural history, and excellent taxidermy mounts of Alaska's wildlife. We are open by appointment or chance in the winter, so please call ahead. 907-834-1690. Summer hours are Memorial Day- Labor Day, Mondays- Fridays 9-12 & 1-5, Saturdays 10-12 & 12:30- 4. The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. The University of Alaska does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, s*x, physical or mental disability, status as a protected veteran, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, parenthood, s*xual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, or other legally protected status. The University's commitment to nondiscrimination, including against s*x discrimination, applies to students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA's statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/titleIXcompliance/nondiscrimination

10/02/2026

Big shout-out to the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum for its biggest year ever!

The Whitney welcomed 12,855 visitors this year, beating last year’s record of 11,923.

One interesting trend: the biggest increase came from RVers and local Alaskans, with local visitors nearly doubling. Cruise passenger numbers stayed about the same.

A lot of people came through the doors this year, and we’re pretty happy to see it. What a great year for the Whitney!

06/15/2026

Today I had the chance to sit down with Randy and Anne Seguin while they visited PWSC's Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum.

They’re traveling on a Viking cruise ship. Still, this stop carried something more personal — nearly 50 years ago, both of them were doing graduate work connected at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and had the opportunity to visit Valdez and spend some time there. Coming back now, they walked back into a place tied to an earlier chapter of their lives.

Anne, who worked in ecology, said the museum’s collection stood out immediately. She described the taxidermy as the best she has ever seen, even compared to years of field experience. She also pointed to the beadwork and artistic design work, calling it “absolutely awesome” and something she would recommend anyone see.
Randy reflected on that earlier time in Alaska, remembering travel through Thompson Pass from Fairbanks to Valdez, when the region looked very different. Seeing Valdez again after 50 years, he described it as “just inspiring and a credit to the community”.

The Maxine & Jessie Whitney Museum itself holds one of the largest collections of Native Alaskan art and artifacts in the world. It brings together cultural history, art, and natural history in a way that invites visitors to slow down and look closely at place, story, and material culture.

In a short visit, their return carried a long arc of research, travel, memory, and place all overlapping again in one stop along a larger journey.

05/21/2026

It was a joy to have Krista Chadwick’s second-grade class from Hermon Hutchens Elementary School visit the Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum for their end-of-year field trip.

Each year, Mrs. Chadwick brings her students for a hands-on scavenger hunt through the museum. The class is divided into small groups, and they spend about 45 minutes to an hour working together to explore exhibits, search for items, and learn through discovery. As she shared, it’s often the most memorable field trip of the year for her students—full of curiosity, teamwork, and fun.

We also want to congratulate Mrs. Chadwick and her husband on their upcoming retirement and their move to Japan. Wishing them all the best in this next chapter.

09/25/2025

What a summer! Our museum welcomed 11,923 visitors in 2025 — more than double last year’s total. It was truly a banner year, and we’re so grateful to everyone who came through our doors to explore, learn, and be part of our story.

07/23/2025

Brian Kulik, also known as Kavasiluk, recently visited PWSC’s Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum. It was his first time seeing the ivory carvings created by his father, Paul Kulik, on display.

Maxine Whitney purchased the pieces decades ago, and they are now part of one of the world’s largest collections of Native Alaskan art and artifacts.

Brian shared the story of his father, a German-Polish migrant who arrived in Alaska in 1968 aboard the U.S. Coast Guard ship Northwind. As an electrician and radar technician, Paul participated in a historic mission to help guide the SS Manhattan through the Northwest Passage—an early attempt to transport oil across the Arctic before the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was built. During a brief shore leave, he met Brian’s mother, Maria Koezuna, an Inupiaq woman from King Island. The two later married and settled in Fairbanks, Alaska.

When steady work in his trade became hard to find, Paul turned to carving, learning the craft from his brothers-in-law. He traded a buck knife for a small piece of ivory, borrowed power tools, and began carving at the kitchen table. His earliest pieces sold quickly, earning him more in a few hours than he typically made in a week. One of his first patrons was Maxine Whitney.

Maxine began collecting Native Alaskan art in 1947, purchasing directly from artists for her gift shop. She later owned the Eskimo Museum in Fairbanks, Alaska, and continued collecting until the mid-1980s. In 1998, she donated her collection to Prince William Sound Community College.

Today, the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum honors Alaska’s cultural heritage. For Brian, visiting the museum was a meaningful reflection on family, resilience, and his father’s enduring legacy in Alaska’s artistic landscape.

In photos, Brian and his fiancée, Geisele Friedfel, view Paul Kulik's carving of an ivory vessel depicting the U.S. Coast Guard USS Bear.

07/18/2025

We are thrilled to welcome researcher and author Mark Foley to the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum. He is visiting to study our collection for his upcoming book, "Scrimshaw of the North."

Mark spent some time examining our scrimshaw pieces—carvings made by Indigenous artists in Alaska. One special item caught his eye: a beautifully carved artifact with a hidden map on the back—a true treasure of art and storytelling!

The Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum has one of the largest collections of Native Alaskan art and artifacts in the world. Our goal is to share the stories, cultures, and art of Alaska with researchers, visitors, and future generations.

We are proud to support scholars like Mark, and we look forward to seeing how our collection adds to the history of scrimshaw in Alaska.

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day from the Whitney and Jesse Whitney Museum!

Today, we celebrate the courage, vision, and sacrifices that contributed to the founding of our nation. As a museum committed to preserving history and educating for the future, we invite you to visit us this week. Explore our extensive collection, which features one of the world's largest assortments of Native Alaskan art and artifacts.

Wishing you a safe, meaningful, and inspiring Fourth of July!

07/01/2025

The Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum will be open on July 3 & 4!

While Prince William Sound College will be closed on July 3–4, the Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum will remain open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on both days.

We’ll also be open throughout the week during our regular hours (closed on Sundays as usual). Come visit us!

Address

303 Lowe Street
Valdez, AK
99686

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(907) 834-1690

Website

http://www.mjwhitneymuseum.org/

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