Sealaska Heritage Institute

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a Native nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Our goals are to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. Sealaska Heritage also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.

SHI has been at the forefront of Southeast Alaska Native academic research, cultural preservation, language revitalization, and curriculum development for Alaskan schools. SHI’s partnerships and financial contributions to school districts, classrooms, the University of Alaska Southeast, local performing arts organizations and the Southeast tourism community has lifted cross cultural communications with all members of the community. SHI's numerous programs in Southeast Alaska Native culture, early literacy, culturally based curriculum, lecture series, academic publications and traditional Northwest Coast art classes contribute to measurable advancement in academic performance and the creation of economic opportunity for rural communities.

SHI is committed to maintaining the integrity of Northwest Coast arts. The construction of an arts campus in the center of downtown Juneau and the effort in partnership with the city to place 30 totem poles along the waterfront are all part of the effort to make Juneau the Northwest Coast arts capital of the world.