The tourist buses have mostly shut down, and the Anchorage Museum, 635 C St., has returned to winter hours -- all of which make October a great time of year for Alaska art-lovers to enjoy the galleries without the crowds.
Though the museum is closed on Mondays this time of year, it will be open late on Thursdays.
"We've had extended Thursday hours all summer, and it's been popular with tourists," said Museum Director James Pepper Henry. "So we wanted to continue to let residents visit during a less crowded time."
To sweeten the deal, there are a number of admission-free opportunities this month -- starting with today (see below) -- and including those Thursday afternoons and evenings.
But there's only a short time to catch several major exhibits on display now.
CLOSING SOON
The All Alaska Juried Exhibition
Closes: today
The 33rd biennial show of top art from around the state includes 44 pieces in media ranging from painting to sculpture to film and fabric, selected from 433 submissions. It will head for Juneau and Fairbanks after this.
Restorations
Closes: Oct. 10
Ester artist Sheryl Maree Reily's solo exhibition "reveals the tension-fraught relationship between technology and survival. Using large-scale installations sculpted mostly from plastic, she turns an everyday material into a medium for exploring the relationship between technology and the environment." See today's main arts story for more about the artist and her work.
Rarefied Light
Closes: Oct. 31
Showcasing the best of Alaska's fine-art photography, the Alaska Photographic Center's annual juried exhibition is the largest of its kind in the state. For this year's competition 83 Alaskans submitted more than 470 photographs. Juror Keith Carter picked 50, now on display on the top floor of the new wing.
Alaska Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition
Closes: Nov. 21
The 36th annual show by Alaska watercolorists opened last Sunday, with 45 new pieces selected by juror Linda Doll, former president of the National Watercolor Society and a past board member for the American Watercolor Society. Renate Martin's painting "Stripes" was awarded Best of Show.
FREE ADMISSION
Hispanic/Latino Family Day
1 to 6 p.m. today
Wells Fargo has you covered for "Dia de la Fiesta," a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Festive community performances include mariachi singer Senor Simon Hernandez, South American musicians Don Hugo Forest with Trio Los Andinos, and dancers Xochiquetzai-Tiqun. Families can enjoy hands-on activities such as make-it, take-it art activities and a community mural.
Free After Three Thursdays
3 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, now through April
Fred Meyer sponsors free general admission every Thursday evening until May. You still have to pay for the planetarium shows or premium exhibits like the upcoming Andy Warhol show (though Museum members will have that one covered with their membership). Otherwise, all galleries and the Imaginarium are yours for free. An added bonus: after 6 p.m., downtown parking is also free. What a deal!
Alaska Day
1 to 6 p.m., Oct. 16
Celebrate Uncle Sam's savvy 1867 purchase of "Seward's Ice Box" from the Czar with films about the Last Frontier, hands-on science and art activities, and a theatrical journey to Russian America at 1 p.m.
14th Annual Bead Arts Gala
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 16, and noon to 6 p.m., Oct. 17
Coinciding with Alaska Day, the state's premier bead event returns to the museum. Meet 50 bead artists from across Alaska and check out their work. This year's featured artist is Linda Myers, manager of the Alaska Bead Company. Other activities include glass bead-making demonstrations and a make-it, take-it table.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Curator's Tour
Noon, Oct. 15
You haven't seen the new Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center yet? This is one of the museum's -- and Alaska's -- crown jewels, with hundreds of historic items brought home from the Smithsonian Institution. Anthropologist Aron Crowell knows what's here better than anyone, having edited the companion book to the exhibit, "Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage" (conveniently available at the museum gift shop). On the third Friday of every month he leads a curator's tour of the floor, showing you things that the casual visitor won't apprehend. The tour is part of your regular admission.
Fall Carnival
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 23
Wear your Halloween costume to the museum and enjoy hands-on science activities, listen to spooky stories, paint a pumpkin and more. Included with admission.
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; open until 9 p.m. Thursday; closed Monday.
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10 adults (18-64), $8 military/senior citizens/students, $7 ages 3 to 12, free ages 2 and younger. Free for museum members.
MORE INFORMATION: 929-9200 or www.anchoragemuseum.org.
Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.
By MIKE DUNHAM
mdunham@adn.com