Programs & Events

Capital Killers True Crime Walking Tour

Juneau’s most famous murderer is likely Robert Stroud, aka the Birdman of  Alcatraz. But have you heard of E.C. Lily who killed a popular entertainer and filmmaker? This tour starts and ends at the City Museum and is led by former Juneau criminal reporters Ed Schoenfeld and Betsy Longenbaugh who will cover historic cases in Juneau from the first half of the twentieth century. Price of tour includes admission to the City Museum and a 20% discount on select items in the museum store.  Space is limited to 15 participants. This tour is recommended for adults and may be suitable for mature teens.

• Tour dates & time:  Fridays: May 16th, July 11th, and September 12th, 2025 from 1:00–3:00pm.
• Tour begins at the City Museum
• Reservations required: Call 907-586-3572
• Tour Length: Approximately 2 hours
• Price:$31.50

Death in Douglas True Crime Walking Tour

Downtown Geology Walking Tour

This tour highlights the general geology of downtown Juneau and how local geology has influenced Juneau’s downtown development and history. The walk is about 1.5 miles in length and will begin at the City Museum. Led by local tour guides Dr. Cathy Connor, retired Professor of Geology University of Alaska Southeast, and Juneau Naturalist Richard Carstensen. Price of tour includes admission to the City Museum and a 20% discount on select items in the museum store.

• Tour dates & time: Saturday, May 17th, June 7th, July 12th, and August 23rd, 2025 from 1:00–3:00pm
• Tour begins at the City Museum
• Reservations required: Call 907-586-3572
• Tour Length: Approximately 90 minutes.
• Price:$31.50

Evergreen Cemetery Walking Tour

Evergreen Cemetery is the final resting place for over 8,000 Juneau residents, including many people who played an influential role in Juneau’s history. Participants will walk from the City Museum down the old “Cemetery Road” to Evergreen Cemetery to learn about the cemetery’s history and hear the stories of some of the notable people buried there. The guide for this tour (a Juneau resident for over 50 years) will lead participants to the final resting places of several people who helped form the foundations of our city and state. Price of tour includes admission to the City Museum and a 20% discount on select items in the museum store.

• Tour dates & time: Saturday, June 28th, July 19th, and August 16th, 2025 from 1:00–3:00pm
• Reservations required: Call 907-586-3572
• Tour Length: Approximately 2 hours
• Price:$31.50

Historic Downtown Juneau Walking Tour

Set out with a local tour guide to learn about the cultures and history of Juneau. This walking tour is chock-full of stories and covers about 10 city blocks of the downtown business district and bordering neighborhood. Participants will learn about Juneau’s first inhabitants, view totem poles, hear the tales of prominent personalities from the early days, and see how the thirst for gold literally changed the landscape of downtown Juneau. This tour begins and ends at the City Museum. Price of tour includes admission to the City Museum and a 20% discount on select items in the museum store.

• Tours begin May 20th and end September 18th, 2025.
• Tours are offered: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 1:45–3:00 pm.
• Tour begins and ends at the City Museum
• Reservations required: Call 907-586-3572
• Tour Length: Approximately 90 minutes.
• Price: $31.50

Open Mic Opportunities May 22nd - August 14th, 2025

Description

This summer the Juneau-Douglas City Museum will host a series of bi-weekly open mic hours as part of our summer exhibition Wild Joys: Creating Community Through Performing Arts. We invite performing artists of all disciplines to share their art with museum visitors during scheduled open mic days. As a token of our gratitude, participating artists will receive one annual pass to the City Museum or one free seasonal walking tour.

Details

Each open mic hour can accommodate multiple performers. The amount of time allocated to each performer during the hour will depend on how many people sign up. The museum will not provide equipment such as amps or mics, but a power outlet is available for equipment such as a keyboard.

Please fill out the online form to indicate your interest and availability. Someone from the museum will contact you to confirm details. Thank you!

SIGN-UP FORM

Poetry Reading by the Burn Thompson Writing Group April 19th at 2pm

Saturday, April 19th at 2:00 pm

Celebrate National Poetry Month by attending a poetry reading at the City Museum. On Saturday, April 19^th, members of the Burn Thompson Writing Group will read original works sure to entertain and inspire. This is a free event with coffee, tea, and cookies provided. The Burn Thompson Writing Group is named in honor of writer and long-time group member Burn Thompson. Thompson came to Juneau in the late 1980’s from Roanoke, Virginia and took charge of a flagging writing group, nursing it back to health. Thompson had an undergraduate degree in physics and graduate degrees in creative writing, a rare mix. The group was named in her honor after her death in October 2013. Members of the Burn Thompson Writing Group meet bimonthly to read and critique their work. During meetings, writers share their work and offer each other gentle critiques. The group is open to the public.

The Juneau History Grant Application

Applications Due Annually on April 3rd or October 1st

Do you have a good idea for preserving or sharing Juneau's history or culture? Are you a teacher looking for an authentic history project for your students? Do you have an interest in a specific aspect of our local history? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider applying for a Juneau History Grant. The Juneau History Grant supports and encourages research, learning, dissemination, recording, and archiving of all types of information pertaining to the human history of Juneau and Douglas, and it is open to organizations, groups, or individuals of all ages.

The Juneau History Grant is administered by the City Museum with funding from the Friends of the Juneau-Douglas City Museum and the Juneau Community Foundation. Projects are typically funded at the $500-$1500 level; however, the Committee will consider all worthy projects within its ability to subsidize. Examples of projects include: live performances, public presentations, recordings (audio or video), publications, community signage or memorials, or any other project that produces a tangible product that can be shared with the public.

The next deadline to apply for a Juneau History Grant is April 3rd, 2023; however, deadlines occur biannually, so if you would like more time to plan your project, you can aim to complete your application by October 1st, 2023 instead.

For more information about the Juneau History Grant and applications instructions, click here.

The Marie Darlin Prize Applications Due May 1st, 2025

Applications Due Annually on May 1st

The Marie Darlin Prize recognizes outstanding works of artistic, literary, performative, or scholarly merit that concern the cultures and peoples of Southeast Alaska. The prize is awarded annually to an individual or collaboration whose work expresses a commitment to the region’s social or cultural history, community advocacy, or Indigenous identity.

In accordance with the wishes of Marie Darlin and donors, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum administers the Marie Darlin Prize, and the Juneau Community Foundation oversees the fund.  Prize contenders are writers, visual artists, performing artists, or scholars from Alaska or elsewhere who have completed a significant work that emphasizes community values and regional identity. Applicants are reviewed by a selection committee which determines the winner. A cash prize of $5,000 is awarded annually and may be used as the recipient wishes.

For more information about eligibility and submission instructions, please visit the Friends of the Juneau-Douglas City Museum’s website at fojdcm.org