Wells Fargo Rasmuson Museum Donates 1,700 Native Artifacts To Native Heritage Center

Alaska Native Heritage Center Gets Huge Cultural Donation From Wells Fargo's Closed Anchorage Museum

The wealthy National Bank of Alaska's Rasmuson Family was very interested in Native Alaskan culture. The family amassed a large number of Native artifacts over the years.

 

Eventually, NBA was taken over by Wells Fargo, and for decades the Midtown Wells Fargo bank ran a small museum across the lobby from the branch office. The little museum was a sidebar to the bank's money operations, and was not open on a predictable basis.

 

Slate "women's knife" or ulu. On display at Wells Fargo Museum. (Photo, Country Journal)

This April, the contents of that Well Fargo museum, which was primarily full of Native art and cultural objects, were turned over to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. A total of 1,700 items were transferred to the center. 

Steel and wood ulu, also from Wells Fargo Museum. (Photo, Country Journal)

 

There were so many items in the generous gift that the Heritage Center will have to clear out some space, and try to find various people – "cultural bearers" – who might still know what they're looking at, where these items originally came from, and what they are. 

 

Ulu made of ivory, brass and steel at former Wells Fargo Museum. (Photo, Country Journal)

 

An Athabascan Tanana-style "Chief's Coat" on display at the former Wells Fargo Museum. (Photo, Country Journal)