Just 90 miles north of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Ketchikan is the southernmost and fourth largest city in Alaska. It hugs the bluffs that form the shoreline along the southwest corner of Revillagigedo Island, where we called our day 4 port of call. This is an island community where Alaska Native Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures; fishing traditions, history, and outdoor experiences shape everyday life. Just south lies Saxman Totem Village. My partner, his family, our friends, and I visited this location as part of a tour scheduled via the cruise ship. It's home to an extensive collection of 24 replica totems moved from abandoned villages as well as a replica Clan House and a Carving Center. The poles are not religious in nature but rather represent characters in a story or events in history. This isn't the only place in the area to see totem poles, but it is the only place where one also gets to see the carvers at work on their craft. The Clan House features a magnificent carving of a Beaver on the outside, and inside are four carved house posts as well as another large panel carving inside the building. There wasn't much walking involved, and we got to experience a wonderful cultural dance performance inside the Beaver Clan House. Our guide, Liam was really the star of the show. His storytelling and passion for the grounds were impressive. The park itself seems like a place worth seeing if one's interested in local history and culture. read more

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Saxman Native Village is a pretty neat place to learn about Native culture and the meanings behind the totem pole carvings and colors. There wasn't much walking involved, which was nice, and we also got to experience a wonderful cultural dance performance inside the Beaver Clan House. Such a unique and meaningful experience. The only downside was that our guide was difficult to hear at times, which made parts of the tour a little frustrating since the information being shared was so interesting. read more

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If your into totems, this one is a good place to check some out. Now we didn't have a guide, but enough guides go through this place to indicate that it's a busy area. We just took a bus from Ketchikan town center to Saxman for $2, and were easily able to listen in. The park has totems all the way up from the bus stop to the main park area itself. Some are big, some less. all have a story. The big one that signify the totem of the village chief is now on its back...but I didn't catch as to why. There you will see a Seward Shame Pole, a Lincoln Pole, a Shaman Pole, and some other cool ones. They have a general store and carving shop. Aside from the poles they have swell bear decorated clan house where the village members do traditional dances. So, you can see these on the cheap, that's would I recommend. If you have time, Saxman is right on the fringes of some Tongass National Forest trailheads. Cool park...that's free if you make it so. read more

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this was an amazing park. We took a lot of pictures. The totem poles were beautiful and very tall and colorful. our tour guide was very knowledgeable, friendly very thankful that she did amazing. read more

We decided to visit as part of a group tour however it's right outside of Ketchikan and you can easily take an Uber or ride a bike there on your own. I really enjoyed learning about the different totems and the symbolism behind each one. Understanding the history of the village really makes you appreciate all it has to offer even more. There is a gift shop on site and all the proceeds go directly to support the tribe. Bonus there was a world renown totem carver visiting so we were able to see him carving firsthand. read more

Saxman Totem Park - Cultural Center Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

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Not pleasant at all. Came from bud, lady from booth told us we needed to buy tickets. We had tickets. But she said this is a private park. You can see them craft and they would have dances. Say the least. Everything was closed; nothing to really show the experience the lady at booth mention. We were there less than thirty minutes and we came back to talk to her and the booth was closed. We were scammed. Stay with state park. This place is very bad. read more

A short tour as part of an excursion package from a cruise let us visit and learn a little about totem poles. What I thought I knew was all myth. What I learned was really cool! I have a much greater appreciation for these tribal marketing tools! The park was visited early and the carvers were not at work, but we did get to peer in through the windows as the guide explained what we saw as well as a lot of history. Outside, we saw quite a few totem poles along with a lodge. This is worth the trip and be sure to go with a guide to point out the symbols, colors life of the poles, woods used and how to read them. read more

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You can book a tour or excursion to visit Saxman Totem Park but my friend and I did it sans these options on our own. It worked well for us to go at our own pace and see everything we wanted to. And actually we had some great interactions with locals we might not have had otherwise. The Totem Park is a part of the large Saxman Native Village celebrating native Tlingit culture. Ketchikan is the totem pole capital of the world and the Totem park has 25 replicas or original totem poles. We took an Uber up to the park and then another back down. There is a very small ticket booth and it costs all of FIVE dollars to tour on your own. Best deal of all time. We spent a lot of time talking to the gentleman at the booth and were so grateful for all the knowledge he bestowed upon us. It was a real highlight of my week talking to a gentleman with deep Tlingit roots who discussed some history and even showed us some eagle nests. He was such a gem of a human. We hiked up the small hill to check out the poles, saw one being worked on and carved and also checked out their building which was hosting an informational video for a tour group. I was again, so lucky, to encounter a local person selling some jewelry and bought a beautiful piece. Beautiful sights to see and humans to meet! I had the BEST time at the Saxman Totem Park. read more

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Our Alaskan cruise trip headed to Ketchikan,Alaska a beautiful city with a great view water and fishing boats. We went on a tour to visit the Saxman Tribal house just not far away from Ketchikan. The Saxman Tribal are Native Alaskans who living these lands for many years. First they brought the group to their Tribal house they preform a dances and tell us stories about the people and their craving skills their totem are amazing and beautiful hand made from the bottom to the top. After the shop we to the gift they amazing items including native craftworks. read more

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What an interesting and historically fun place to visit! We came here on a whim after stepping off our cruise ship...asked some locals about seeing totem poles and directed us to take the city bus ($2 for adults, $1 for kids) east to Saxman. We caught the 9:45am bus and eventually after spending more than an hour there took the 11:15 bus back to Ketchikan. Don't fall for the cruise ship excursion price- take the city bus then pay the $5pp to be there compared to ten times that! I digress.... I love learning about cultures and native culture. Finding an authentic experience like this was exactly what we'd hoped for with our few hours off the ship! They have a variety of totem poles- we overheard the information about what certain things mean on the totems to better understand why the carving was done like it was. I'm not a big history buff but learning about the carvings and the history dating back to Abraham Lincoln was super interesting! We also had an authentic experience inside their tribal house with kids and adults dressed up with dancing and singing. Such a treat! I HIGHLY recommend taking the time out of Ketchikan to experience some history and culture! We gave a nice big tip on the way out of the tribal house wanting the money to go directly to the community instead of the cruise ship excursion company! Such a wonderful experience on a whim. Go see the totems and learn about the culture and history- you won't regret it!! PS. If someone ever owes you a debt it'll show up in your totem pole as an upside down person on your totem pole! LOL read more

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Saxman Totem Park is a nice space in Saxman, Alaska just outside of Ketchikan. The park has quite a few totems which are pretty to see. The only issue with this park is that unless you have a guide who knows about the totems, there isn't a lot of information about each one. Most of the totems have small signs that say the name of the totem, but there's no historical information. read more

Saxman Totem Park - Cultural Center Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

I visited Saxman Totem Park as part of a shore excursion when visiting Ketchikan. This was a nice addition to the tour with an extended stop at the park including several activities. The park is located in Saxman requiring a drive from the port, so be prepared. There is parking at the facility, but most people use buses or other services. Our tour began with an introductory video and brief language lesson from the guides. We then walked through a small nature path towards the main house. Inside the main house, we enjoyed a demonstration of native dancing from the local nation dancers. The main house is a good replica of the historic houses used by the indigenous people over many centuries. Seating is on hard wood surfaces, so bring a cushion if needed. After the dance, we had a tour of the totem park including explanations of the significance of each one. The story behind the Seward totem is interesting. Across the street is a nice gift shop with a lot of native goods for sale. The tour ended in the shop where totems are still carved by native craftsmen for many purposes. You can order one if you have lots of cash and a good soul! It is good to learn about the native history of Alaska when visiting. Overall, the tour was a bit rushed, but it was still a great option. We had a rare sunny day, so be prepared for lots of rain and cold when visiting. Kids will enjoy the dance, but may be bored with the rest. It's up to you to either book through the cruise or on your own, but Saxman Totem Park is a nice stop for all ability levels. read more

Saxman Totem Park - Totem Area - Cultural Center Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Largest collection of totem poles are here. Learning about them was very educational. A museum is open, but we didn't go in. We learned about the black/white paint vs. the brighter colors. We learned to read poles starting at the top. Some poles have only a figure at the top and now we know why. So cool. There are restrooms here. Our local guide was found in a booth on the pier where our ship docked. For nearly two hours he drove us around. We saw a swimming inlet, eagles, water falls, and looked for bears. He was very interesting. Glad we found him. read more

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This was a unique shore excursion that we did from our cruise ship and really enjoyed the experience. We first heard a presentation by a native boy who told us some information about the tribe. Then we walked through the woods to the tribal house (neat building made with big trees) where we had a tribal performance with singing/dancing. After that, we went outside where our guide talked about the history of totem poles. We also visited a building where a new totem pole was being carved. On the way out, we visited a gift shop. read more

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Super easy, beautiful walk. Amazing poles and structures. Grab a cab and head straight there without waiting for a tour. read more

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Beautiful and educational time spent here! The cultural history and amazing craftsmanship is so amazing and I'm happy to have learned some things today! read more

If you would like to learn about Indian heritage this is a beautiful place to go and walk. Although it was closed we were able to walk around and look at the totem polls and enjoy the beauty of the park. We came here two years ago and were able to go into the buildings with a guide and have her explain some Indian history. Don't miss the park. it's very nice experience. read more

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Loads of Native American Indian history here, I highly recommend a tour, as we did through Sourdough Tours (booked separately from our Princess Cruise). Touted the largest collection of totem poles... however, I was surprised that there still weren't very many. Interesting anyway and very cool to see them up close and learn their stories and history. Nice to see how they are (and were) made too. Most of the existing totems in the park are around 100 years old or more. My favorite story was of the Abraham Lincoln totem. Lincoln was known for being very tall but the Indians only had seen him in the pictures and those pictures were from the knees up. So the totem pole has a very short Lincoln on the top. Many stories and interesting insights when speaking with the locals. Ketchikan is a typically very rainy and cool town, so make sure you wear layers and come prepared!! Doesn't matter what time of year! I would recommend looking into a guided tour or finding out how you can get more information while visiting here though. Cruise lines offer expensive tours, as do independent. You can also ask the staff, worth a call or email to find out pricing and what there is to offer. Great job giving tourists a little bit of your precious history Tlingets! read more

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Ketchikan was our last stop on the Princess Cruise and this was unfortunately probably the most disappointing excursion that we booked. Typical Ketchikan weather aside (downpour in September) the tour itself indeed felt as if we fell into an overpriced tourist trap. I checked some other websites and it turns out if you did an independent tour of the place it would only be $5/person admission. Through Princess we paid about $54 but that included transportation along with a "The Clan House Tour & Native Dancing Show". Definitely not worth ~$49 extra. Oh well... you live and you learn. My SO and I sat on the smallest bus and waited for the other 2 large coach buses seating 100 more enthusiastic tourists take off to the village 15 minutes away from the cruise port. Not quite the "intimate" experience they were marketing on the shore excursions website. We shuffled into what looked like an auditorium and one of the native Tlingit members greeted us. He taught us some phrases then proceeded to show us a 30 minute DVD introduction to the culture. They combined the groups from the Princess Cruise and Holland America line so there were so many people I can't imagine the people in the back heard very well. Similarly when we went into the Beaver shaped clan meeting house we had to sit all the way in the back while they performed the half-hearted dance. (I'm sure they do this several times during the day but it just looked like they were going through the motions.) Afterwards we stood outside in the pouring rain for about 20 minutes as our bus tour guides told us about the specific totem poles that they have on display. The stories were nice, but we were all wet and uncomfortable. I know nothing they could have had control over. I couldn't wait to get into our last stop the carving station. Again my shortness proved challenging to see what was going on as they crammed 60+ people inside. We asked the Master Carver and the other carvers about the projects. Overall it was interesting learning about the native culture, but definitely not worth the price that we paid through the cruise. read more

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This was a nice stop see some heritage and some totems. It was nice to see a modern working shop. If you can, take in the dance experience in the Saxman house read more

Our first visit to this cultural heritage site was amazing. The day was beautiful, the weather warm and the skies blue. Perfect for viewing the wonderful treasures found in the totems. To even try and discuss them would be an injustice to what they represent. Go visit for yourself and make sure you purchase the pocket guide! It's full color and describes each totem in detail. read more

Saxman Totem Park - One of the totem guards at the park. - Cultural Center Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

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Not sure why this park was rated so poorly. I really enjoy learning about the origins of places and people so I was captivated by the tour that was given to us. We signed up for an excursion of the Saxman Native Village Totem park. We were taken to an auditorium where we learned about the culture of the Tlingits. Afterwards we headed over to the wooden Beaver house, watched the Tlingits dance to their traditional music and chants, and then walked around the park to take pictures of all the totems. There is a little stand across from the gift shop (that looks like a newsstand) that offers a little paper booklet on the history of the totem poles for the cost of $1. The totem poles were so tall and captivating! After taking numerous pictures of and with the totem poles, our tour continued on to the carving house where they showed you how the totem poles were made and how much the cost was to make it. Its expensive! I'm all about unique experiences and this is one that you will not get anywhere else in the U.S. If you are interested in learning about different cultures, this tour is for you. It is not exciting but definitely very interesting. read more

My friend and I booked a tour for the later half of our day to make in time before our cruise boarded. This was a more chill activity, and it was interesting to learn about the natives and history in Ketchikan. The first part of the tour we watched a video presentation inside the clan house that gave an overview of the natives and different clans. The clan members gave a dance performance, while wearing their traditional "button blankets" as capes that I thought was unique. We walked through the park, and saw some of the totem poles that were fairly new. I was looking forward to seeing some older historical ones and a larger collection, but there were only a few. We did stop by the totem carving shed house where we learned about how natural dyes were traditionally made back then (salmon eggs and saliva)! The tour was somewhat interesting, but also underwhelming for the amount of time and money spent. read more

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This is another one of those tourist traps, but this is the worst kind. There is nothing historic here as they make it sound. All of the totems in this small park are replicas or made on site recently. It was a total rip off. We took a taxi there and as soon as we stepped off we were hounded by a guy (who didn't look official at all by the way) for our "admission" fee into the open air park. It definitely put me off from the get go. Do not waste your time or money on this spot read more

I was really disappointed in the Saxman Native Village. We took a cab to Saxman because we didn't want to wait for the bus and I never book tours through the cruise line since we can always do more things for less money on our own. We went got to the village we paid $5 each to view the totems. The booklet that actually explains the totems is another $1 per booklet. That should be included in the $5 fee. We walked around the area which is really just a courtyard sized space and read the story of each totem. Some of the stories were interesting but these totems are replicas or were made in the past 20 years or so. I learned much more about totems at the Totem Heritage Center which was the same price per person but had much older totems and much more background on totems as a whole. read more

We really enjoyed our visit here. What a pleasure to learn about culture and history from people who are so passionate about both. We were on a tour with a group from our cruise, and everything we saw was great. There was a video, a lecture (done by village elders as well as youth), a guided walk about the grounds, a dance presentation, and a totem-making demonstration. The staff and volunteers were so welcoming and friendly. Highly recommended! read more

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If you are interested in native history, then this tour is good. This is not an excited adventure. I think you can get more excitement from other tours in Ketchikan. read more

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I loved the history at this place. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting from Alaska, but it was great. Glad I got to visit and see the history. read more

Saxman Totem Park - Cultural Center Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Today was my second visit to Saxman Village. It was definitely enjoyable, and much like I remember it from my first visit about 10-11 years ago. Back then we were there in the summer, so the temperature was probably in the mid-sixties, as opposed to today, which was rainy and windy with a high of 50F degrees. The staff are all clan members and are very friendly and knowledgeable. It was fun to join them for a dance in the lodge. As an artist, I loved seeing the carving of the totem poles in progress. If you have a chance to visit, I highly recommend it. read more

What a wonderful place to honor the Tlingit people and learn about their culture. This is truly an experience that every person who calls themselves American needs to have in solidarity with a people group whose culture was nearly wiped out because they needed "civilizing." I would really recommend a tour, as my group really enjoyed the storytelling-based approach and the dry humor of our guide that kept our group entertained - and supposedly these tours are audited so that the guides are kept accurate with their facts. You'll notice that anything negative mainly comes from those who chose to explore on their own. This is really a park that must be visited with both the appropriate knowledge and a posture of learning. This is why I would really recommend that you come here on a tour or buy the booklet. To address some of the criticisms: - The totems may be replicas or made in the last couple decades, but the reason is that the totems are carved from red cedar logs and would have traditionally been replaced over time as they rot from the inside out and naturally will fall over. The only way of preserving the originals would have been to store them in a museum setting, which I believe would have taken away from the authenticity of the experience. - The reason the booklet is an extra $1 is for those who are trying to save money by not taking a tour but wanting the same learning experience. There's no reason to charge those who are on tours for a booklet when they're getting the same info through their tour guide. My only regret is not buying an ulu (a traditional Eskimo knife) in their gift shop. I first read about them when I was a teenager reading Julie of the Wolves. Surprisingly the best price I saw anywhere! read more

Quite a few examples of native totem poles, each with a separate and unique story. Some old, some new. Older ones are restored by Nate, who carves the new ones. Gift shop didn't have a lot of unique village stuff, however, which is a shame. read more

Ridiculous tourist trap. An embarrassment to native Alaskans. It cost $5 per person to walk the grounds, everything else is ala carte including a brochure for $3. read more

The totem poles are amazing as are the tour guides. We enjoyed the traditional dancing and the house where the artisans do their magic.