THE NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD (NPRB), in partnership with the Anchorage Museum, announces Arctic Marine Science: Sikuliaq to Shore, an immersive exhibition opening May 15, 2026, and running through April 2027. The installation will transform the museum gallery into an interactive Arctic experience, recreating parts of Alaska’s most sophisticated marine research vessel R/V Sikuliaq. Visit the Anchorage Museum’s website for more information.

Marine research vessels often operate far offshore in the Arctic, far removed from the public’s eye. The exhibit aims to bring science closer, showing not only what and how the data is collected, but why it is important to collect. With actual ship-based technology and state-of-the-art science equipment, the recreation of R/V Sikuliaq explores ways to bring the ship-based experience to people of all ages and features some of the latest Arctic marine research. NPRB and the Anchorage Museum wanted to create an interdisciplinary, inclusive, and STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) approach to this exhibit. Visitors will learn about science in a compelling way, explore the wonders of the Arctic marine ecosystem, and highlight the importance of incorporating local and Indigenous knowledge into a collective understanding of the Arctic.

“The Arctic marine environment is a vital cultural, ecological, economic, and strategic region for Alaska and the US. This exhibition will tell a powerful narrative of what is happening in the Arctic waters surrounding Alaska and how urban and coastal communities are responding to rapid changes,” said Ryan Kenny, Deputy Director & Chief Operating Officer, of the Anchorage Museum.

Regarding the importance of featuring coastal community involvement and western science, Kenny further noted, “We want to create connections between urban and rural Alaska communities about the importance of climate change. At the same time, a project like this must meet local needs, not simply the scientific needs alone, so making the exhibition available to many communities is a key goal.”

Co-developing an exhibition is new territory for NPRB, but in line with its long-standing efforts to pair world-class funded research with equally robust communication, education, and outreach initiatives. “Featuring the organization’s groundbreaking Arctic research program in a setting like the Anchorage Museum seemed like the next step to reach Alaska residents to share the importance of the Arctic marine ecosystem,” explained Lynn Palensky, Executive Director for NPRB.

“We have a unique opportunity to work with the Anchorage Museum to develop a creative way to showcase the type of research we support and by doing so, inspire future generation Alaskan marine scientists and make the science more accessible to our communities about the changes that are happening in the Arctic.”

The Rationale Behind Sikuliaq

The inspiration to use the R/V Sikuliaq as the focal point for the exhibition is two-fold. “Featuring Sikuliaq in this exhibit provides Alaskans an opportunity to fully grasp the seagoing science and technology operations based in our state, and how scientists are working to better understand some of the most pressing marine environmental issues,” explains Dr. Bradley Moran, Dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

“R/V Sikuliaq is one of the most sophisticated ships in the world, and her homeport resides in Seward,” further adds Dr. Moran. Owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (UAF CFOS), R/V Sikuliaq is a 261-foot oceanographic ice-capable research vessel that has been operating in Alaska’s waters—especially the Arctic—since 2016.

R/V Sikuliaq was also one of the principal sampling vessels used in NPRB’s Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Program (IERP), a program that has spanned nearly a decade from 2016-2026. The program integrated observations collected during spring, summer, and fall in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to better understand how reduced Arctic sea ice and associated environmental changes influenced the flow of energy through the marine ecosystem from plankton to fish, seabirds, marine mammals, and humans.

About the NPRB Arctic Program

Approximately $18.6 million was invested in the Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (IERP) from 2016-2026. The program was primarily funded and managed by NPRB but included additional funding from Collaborative Alaskan Arctic Studies Program (formerly the North Slope Borough/Shell Baseline Studies Program), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research Marine Mammals and Biology Program. In-kind support was also contributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

In January 2026, NPRB launched another Integrated Ecosystem Research Program focused on the Northern Bering Sea. Go to https://nprb.org/integrated-ecosystem-research to learn more about NPRB’s Integrated Ecosystem Research Programs.

About the Anchorage Museum

The Anchorage Museum is a museum of people, place, planet, and potential, rooted in the North and connected to the world. Through exhibitions, programs, and community partnerships, the Museum explores the art, history, and science shaping life in Alaska and across the Arctic.