Polar Bear Garden

Anchorage Museum Exhibition

Alaska and Russia are intimately connected by land and history but are also distant — separated by water, language, war and politics. Anchorage Museum partnered with Creative Space to display artifacts telling the story of Alaska’s purchase and continued influence of Russia on our state. President Andrew Johnson’s “polar bear garden” – the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia— was controversial at the time. Artifacts include the treaty and the check along with archival and contemporary photographs, cartoons, feature-length films, and Cold War propaganda to take viewers on a journey between Alaska and Russia since the purchase — exploring stereotypes, language, storytelling, boundaries and crossings.

Graphical inspiration from traditional Russian folk arts led the design direction including a retrofitted gas tank nesting doll sound booth, viewfinder to see Russia, custom illustrations, and cnc cut Russian orthodox inspired wall.

2017 AIGA Big One Design Silver Award

Images courtesy Anchorage Museum.