The Arctic Studies Center, established in 1988, is the only U.S. government program with a special focus on northern cultural research and education. In keeping with this mandate, the Arctic Studies Center specifically studies northern peoples, exploring history, archaeology, social change and human lifeways across the circumpolar world. We are part of the Department of Anthropology, in the National Museum of Natural History, a section of the Smithsonian Institution. Having pursued northern studies since the 1850s, the Smithsonian possesses one of the world's finest anthropological collections from arctic and sub-arctic regions. Between 1858 and 1890, the majority of these collections were collected by naturalists from the Mackenzie District, Ungava, Baffin Island, Coppermine, Alaska and Siberia. Research at the Arctic Studies Center seeks to bring ASC researchers together with community scholars in the collaborative exploration of the cultural heritage represented in these impressive collections.    More...

Overview
Message from the Director
ASC Staff
Alaska Office
Internship Information
Contact ASC
Site Credits