The Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry in Wasilla, Alaska is an eclectic mix of transportation items and memorabilia that 19th and 20th century settlers used to tame the Alaskan bush. The museum’s contents are spread over 20 acres and roughly organized by categories of transportation (trains, planes, farm equipment, snowmobiles, boats, etc.). The entrance fee is $8/person. This is a great stop for anyone interested transportation, old equipment, or Alaskan history. They have a large collection and we could easily have spent a half day at this museum.
Retired planes
Retired trains
Several automobiles and other items are on display inside
You begin the tour in the main building, which houses smaller items, items that can’t be exposed to the elements and rare objects. Luckily for us it was not raining, as the majority of the items are outside with no cover. Bring sensible walking shoes as you’ll be walking on gravel lanes and across uneven grass surfaces with some overgrowth of the grasses/bushes around the exterior displays. Also, many items have been well used and are not refurbished.
Outdoor exhibits are grouped by category: Agriculture, Trucks, Fire and EMS, Snow Machines, etc.
Some of the unusual items included the first hang glider that was successfully glided off of Denali (previously known as Mt. McKinley), a good sized collection of old vacuum tubes, and many old black and white photographs throughout the different exhibits. They have placed informative placards with many of the items which tell the story of where/how the item was used.
Below is a small sample of the rest of our pictures from today.
An old snow machine in the forefront
A good vehicle for snow travel- a cargo carrier known as a “weasel” was used by Matanuska Electric Association
Old John Deere Tractors
John Deere Tractor
Snow Machines
A Case tractor
1940 Ford fire truck used by the Healy Fire Department
1948 American LaFrance fire truck was purchased for San Francisco, but was unable to handle the hills and was sent to Anchorage
Small engines and chainsaws
