Last Chance Mining Museum

Compressed-air plant and gold mining artifacts at the edge of the AJ Mine complex

The Last Chance Mining Museum preserves the remains of the gold mining operation that built modern Juneau. The star exhibit is the massive 1912 compressed-air plant — a building full of enormous machinery that once powered the drills working inside the mountain. Also on display are ore carts, mining tools, assay equipment, and photographic records of the operation at its height. The museum sits at the end of Basin Road, about a mile from downtown, at the base of the mountains that hide the old mine tunnels.

The walk along Basin Road from downtown is pleasant in itself, following Gold Creek through stands of Sitka spruce. The museum grounds include a picnic area. Entry is by donation; hours are limited, so call ahead or check current listings before making the trip.

things to do museum
A story
At its peak in the early twentieth century, the Alaska-Juneau Mine was one of the largest gold mines in the world by tonnage of ore processed. It employed over 1,000 workers and ran around the clock, with tunnels extending deep into the mountains above downtown. The company town that supported it — bunkhouses, a hospital, a store — was all perched on the steep slope above the current museum site.