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All the United States Alaska Fairbanks

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Fairbanks

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Fairbanks, Alaska

Updated July 14, 2026
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Unusual Attractions in Fairbanks

Aurora Ice Museum

Fairbanks, Alaska

Aurora Ice Museum

Mind-blowing carvings and fantasy ice scenes grace the largest year-round ice environment in the world.
The Tunnel

Fairbanks, Alaska

Permafrost Tunnel

This frozen tunnel in central Alaska is both an engineering feat and a valuable climate classroom.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Blue Babe

North America's first frozen mummified remains of an ice age steppe bison, the 36,000 year-old mummy named "Blue Babe."
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Poker Flat Research Range

Fairbanks, Alaska

Poker Flat Research Range

Research missiles and rainbow auroras at the world's largest land-based rocket range.
The sculpture.

Fairbanks, Alaska

'Polaris'

The sculpture's largest spire points directly toward the North Star.
Fairbanks Antler Arch

Fairbanks, Alaska

Fairbanks Antler Arch

A morbid gateway to an Alaska town prides itself on the hunting history it represents.
Archaeologists working on the dig site.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Xaasaa Cheege Ts'eniin (Upward Sun River Mouth Child)

11,500 year old little girl found buried in an ancient fire pit.
See All 16 Things To Do in Fairbanks
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

11 Places Where Alaska Bursts Into Color

Picture Alaska. You might see in your mind's eye the granite and stark white snowcaps of Denali National Park, or the dark seas that surround 6,000-plus miles of coastline, or the muted olive of its tundra in the summer. But as anyone who's been there knows, the country's largest, most sparsely populated state can absolutely burst with color, from the luminous green of the Northern Lights, to the deep aqua of its glaciers, to the flourish of wildflowers fed by its long summer days. Here are some places to see the full spectrum of The Last Frontier.

View Itinerary
At Glacier Gardens, the tree canopies are flowers in bloom.

Explore Fairbanks, Alaska

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Stories About Fairbanks

GPS-tagging whimbrels on Chiloé Island in southern Chile.

Wings of Survival

A world-first race with nature
by Timm Döbert, Community Contributor
July 14, 2026
Built in 1905 from random porter cart parts, barstools, and a marine engine, The Sheldon was the first and only automobile manufactured in Alaska.

This 1905 Motorcar is the Only Automobile Manufactured in Alaska

The Sheldon is a one-of-a-kind testament to the ingenuity—and unrequited love—of its creator.
by Bailey Berg, Atlas Obscura
September 2, 2021
Blue Babe on display at University of Alaska Museum of the North.

The Dinner Party That Served Up 50,000-Year-Old Bison Stew

When life gives you frozen bison, make dinner.
by Paula Mejia, Atlas Obscura
August 21, 2019
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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