The newly opened Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center at the Anchorage Museum plays host to rare native heritage objects that are being returned to be displayed in their home. In a unique arrangement between these two prestigious institutions, the Smithsonian Institution is loaning large numbers of indigenous Alaskan artefacts to the Museum.
The opening of the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center marked the conclusion of one of the longest running projects in the history of ClickNetherfield. Initial enquiries were made in Spring 2005 and it is only now in Spring 2010 that the works are finally complete.
The new building that houses the Center was designed by Sir David Chipperfield, an award-winning architect from London famed for his modernist style. The design is intended to encourage an appreciation of the museum’s extraordinary natural surroundings. In a world increasingly obsessed with climate change the building has been design to comply with the very latest Environmental Standards.
The exhibition space itself, which contains 8 large bespoke showcases that stretch from floor to ceiling at lengths of up to 15 metres, was designed by the renowned Ralph Appelbaum Associates from New York. ClickNetherfield have worked on numerous occasions alongside RAA and this marks another successful partnership with stunning visual results.
The Arctic Studies Centre is now open to the general public.
