Portfolio : Civic/Public
Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor's Center
Fairbanks, Alaska
“It’s hard to know how to begin to say thank you to Bettisworth North... These folks never lost the faith or their sense of humor and worked to make this an exceptional project.”
- Cindy Schumaker, Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center Project Director
The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center brings key visitor and native organizations together into one facility: The Alaska Public Lands Information Center, the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Tanana Chiefs Conference Native Corporation with Doyon Ltd. Native Corporation. This unique blend of public, private, non-profit, and corporate partnering represents a wide spectrum of interests addressing Alaska’s natural and cultural resources, as well as serve to enhance local and regional economic development.
Each partner in this facility has a specific mission and serves specific constituents and all had a common need for more space. All of the partners recognized the synergy of merging services in a common facility with tools to inspire visitors and residents to explore Fairbanks and Interior Alaska.
Seamless visitor services are provided in the unique merging of private, public, and native non-profit interests with local government. Proximity to the Tanana Chiefs Conference campus encourages use by Interior residents. Key spaces in this new facility are visitor information services, interpretive exhibits; Tanana Chiefs Cultural Center, including artisan workshops, offices and classrooms; gathering hall theatre and multipurpose space; administration offices and public services space.