The Talkeetna Historical Society museum is once again welcoming visitors

The return of summer this year has brought with it many businesses and nonprofits re-opening their doors after a year closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One Talkeetna attraction that is once again welcoming visitors is the Talkeetna Historical Society museum downtown.

Sue Deyoe is the executive director for the historical society. She says despite fewer days open than in past years, people are once again coming in to see the exhibits the museum has to offer.

It’s been surprisingly nice, actually. A fair number of people have come in. Mountain climbers come in when it’s rainy. They can see the Denali model, and the film that loops all day long is really great, and spend a bit of time for very little amount of money.

Much of what the museum has on display are permanent exhibits, including artifacts from Talkeetna, a building dedicated to the Alaska Railroad, and a large-scale model of the Alaska Range.

Deyoe says she hopes to introduce more temporary exhibits in the future, and one new display that will feature until this fall covers something critical to the Northern Susitna Valley — the Susitna River itself.

Photographs of the Susitna in 1916, 1918, the flood, and 1942 the biggest flood ever. Talking about flooding and there’s a timeline of the dike and the revetment. There’s photographs. And you can look at the town and how the river has changed.

The Talkeetna Historical Society museum is closed Monday and Tuesday and open Wednesdays through Sundays throughout the summer.