College: Planetarium, Campus Walks and Alaska Art

The Walt & Marita Babula Planetarium is located in the UA Museum of the North on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. As an immersive theater, it offers a view of the night sky over Alaska, the aurora borealis and the universe. Each show combines a fulldome film with a live tour of the night sky and beyond; the entire program lasts 45 minutes. This gives you a clearly defined activity that brings together imagery and live commentary in one format.

Planetarium and Museum Architecture

The architecture of the University of Alaska Museum of the North also draws on natural motifs: glacier crevasses, alpine ridges, the aurora borealis and ice breakup on the Yukon River served as inspiration. In addition to the immersive presentation in the planetarium, the building draws attention to landforms and natural phenomena. This brings the theme of space together with architecture inspired by a range of motifs from Alaska.

Science Under the Open Sky

The Geophysical Institute offers a free outdoor tour featuring, among other things, a rocket, satellite dishes and the Planet Walk. A Black Brant IX rocket stands in the grassy strip across from the front of the Geophysical Institute. The specific rocket type gives the subject of space exploration a point of reference; satellite dishes and the Planet Walk add to the outdoor tour experience.

The UAF Planet Walk follows scale models of celestial bodies from Mercury to Neptune, bringing their sequence into focus. The Wildfire Walk covers a different subject: it shares knowledge about wildfires in Alaska and their research and management. The range of scientific topics thus extends from the solar system to a research and management field specifically related to Alaska.

A self-guided walking audio tour of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Troth Yeddha' Campus is available through Spotify. This format differs from the outdoor tour at the Geophysical Institute: the audio tour is self-guided, while a free outdoor tour is offered there. When planning your trip, you can consider both the subject and the way it is presented.

Garden and Art

The Charles Georgeson Botanical Garden focuses on something different. Its mission is education and research in subarctic horticulture. The focus here is therefore plant cultivation in a subarctic region, not a planetarium show or space exploration. For travelers interested in horticulture, this subject area adds a distinct perspective to the scientific offerings.

One cultural point of interest is the “Geo-Odyssey” mural on the front of the Elvey Building. Alaska artist Keith Appel created it in 1993. Together with the museum’s architecture, which is inspired by natural motifs, the mural offers another way to engage with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ themes: alongside science and landscape, there is art.

You can distinguish the offerings by interest and format: the planetarium combines a film and live tour in a 45-minute program, while the Geophysical Institute’s outdoor tour is free and a self-guided audio tour is available for the Troth Yeddha' Campus. Horticulture, architecture and the mural offer further points of interest as you plan your trip to College.

Discover more destinations: Fairbanks, North Pole.

See the broader travel overview: Fairbanks North Star Borough.