Appropriately, the largest state houses the World’s Largest Ice Museum or, to be very specific, world’s largest year-round ice environment. The Aurora Ice Museum is truly an amazing feat of art, architecture, and engineering. This enormous building stays below the freezing point and houses beautiful ice sculptures all year round. Come visit the winter wonderland any time of year and experience cold temperatures and the collection of ice sculptures by a pair of master ice carvers. You’ll be amazed at the grandeur of the Aurora Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs Resort outside of Fairbanks.
The Aurora Ice Museum is one of the attractions at the Chena Hot Springs Resort that lies about an hour's drive outside Fairbanks.
The museum was completed in January 2005 and stays a cool 25° Fahrenheit (-7° Celsius) inside. Guests are offered warm, insulated coats and hats to wear while on the 45-minute ice museum tour.
Its one-of-a-kind patented three stage ammonia absorption chiller (powered by geothermal energy from hot springs) that keeps it from melting in the summers, which can get as hot as 80 degrees.
The tour shows you the wide collection of ice sculptures created by world champion ice carvers Steve & Heather Brice. Knights on horseback are one of the larger ice sculpture displays.
Chandeliers made of ice light the grand room, lit with constantly changing colored lighting. This gives the illusion that you are underneath the dancing aurora on a dark night.
There is also this lovely ice chapel for those who wish to have their wedding in this magical location. There are bride and groom faux fur capes available to keep you toasty during the ceremony.
The ice globes that adorn the room were created with different decorative effects. Some have frozen flowers inside them, some have designs created while the ice was freezing, and some have carved details on the outside.
If you are really crazy, you can stay in the ice museum and sleep in this four poster Polar bear bed! Originally envisioned as an "ice hotel," the museum was created so the most people could experience the beauty of ice sculpture year-round.
Hang out on the caribou hide covered stools by the "fireplace" carved out of ice. You can spend hours noticing all the details in the room and examining all the beautiful sculptures.
The bar opens near the end of the tour and the guides pour drinks for the guests. The ice bar only serves one kind of drink: their signature icy cold Appletini.
Appletinis are served in martini glasses individually carved out of ice. You can take it with you if you want to enjoy an icy beverage until it melts in your hands.
The in-house workshop is where the ice carver's work, making the signature martini glasses daily. They also maintain the beauty of the ice museum and teach workshops for those interested in learning the art of ice carving.
The whole museum was created out of locally harvested ice, cut from deep within ponds in the area, the ice blocks are stored frozen year round to create appletini glasses.
The beauty of the ice sculptures twinkling in the lights will enchant you. Visit the Aurora Ice Museum in Alaska for a totally unique experience at the largest year-round ice environment in the world.
