If you only do one cultural stop in Alaska, make it the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The newly updated Hall of Cultures introduces you to

the five major Alaska Native culture groups through vivid exhibits, artifacts, archival film, and live performances — song, dance, and

storytelling that bring ancient traditions to life in the Gathering Place theater every hour on the hour. Outside, a lakeside trail winds past six

traditional dwellings where Alaska Native culture bearers share the stories of their ancestors in unhurried 60-to-90-minute guided

walks that often include demonstrations of tool-making, skin-sewing, or drumming.

Summer visitors (May 10 through mid-September) get the full experience with daily tours at 9:15, 11:15, 1:15, and 2:15 — plus a FREE

round-trip shuttle from the downtown Log Cabin Visitor Center at 546 W. 4th Ave. Plan on two to three hours; most people wish they'd stayed

longer. Don't miss the gift shop on the way out either: it's one of the best places in Anchorage to buy authentic Native-made art, beadwork, and

carved ivory, sold directly on behalf of the artists who made them. This is the rare Alaska attraction that leaves you with a deeper understanding

of the place you traveled to see.