Unexpected Coolness: the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks

The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks is a complete surprise. I’m not into cars and had this not been suggested we wouldn’t have considered it, but it was actually really cool. This isn’t a car museum like you’d think, but just a very specific antique automobile museum with vehicles and clothing from the absolute earliest days of cars into the Al Capone era. It was nothing that I expected to find in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Have you been here before or thinking about adding it to your Fairbanks itinerary? If you’re interested, read on and see what you can expect from a visit to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. If you have any questions about the museum or need suggestions for other things to do in Fairbanks, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help others plan a great Alaska trip!

Highlights of the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Besides that you may not expect to have an antique auto museum in Fairbanks, what’s really surprising about visiting the Fountainhead is how vast the collection is. I don’t know that they could fit any more cool cars in their space, which is huge. The collection does an exceptional job showing the evolution of the automobile, especially its presence and uses in Alaska. The exhibits give great context to the actual vehicles.

The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks is also fun with kids. I mean, who doesn’t love cool cars, but add to that the workshop you can see being used, the videos throughout the museum and the clothing collection and there’s rather something for everyone. We visited with our 10 and 13 year olds and they both actually took their time reading the placards for each car and talking about their observations and opinions as we went. That’s what I always hope for when we visit museums, so I’d go again just for that!

Tips for a Great Fairbanks Car Museum Visit

The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum will take at least one hour to go through, and I say that as somebody who isn’t big into cars but does love history and Alaska. If you’re into antique automobiles or period costuming, you’ll need much more than an hour to get through all the exhibits. There is a lot to read, and as you go you may wind up back tracking a bit as you start to see similarities and fancy finishes on cars, as a lot of them require a double take. This is a good museum to pair with a visit to the Museum of the North as you’ll get a lot of Alaska history with great exhibits.

If you’re visiting the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum with kids, a great way to go through with them and get them involved or interested is to have them treat the experience like a scavenger hunt. You can suggest that they keep track of all the colors or keep a tally of how many different types of cars they can find. You can also have them try to figure out what each type of car was used for or what makes each one different from the last. Or have them keep track and the many different hood ornaments they’ll see… There are lots of ways to make a car museum interesting for kids of all ages.

I don’t know about you, but there are some museums or subjects that I don’t know much about so I will opt for a guided tour. The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum does do guided tours with a docent that can be arranged in advance. If you’re just one person, don’t worry, as you’ll be able to join another tour if there are others who are interested.

Being Prepared for the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Upon arrival there is a coat check area for you to leave any cold weather gear of bags so you don’t have to carry them around. It’s suggested that you leave any bags or backpacks at the coat check or in your vehicle so you don’t bump into anything. Despite this being a large building it’s still a museum and sometimes things are close together. You don’t want to damage anything.

For those visiting the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum for a fun day of unique photography, a wide angle or standard lens will do the trick. If you’re interesting in capturing some of the details inside the antique cars, a 250mm lens with good light intake will be helpful, but probably not any larger than that. Besides this, just show up with a full tummy (no eating in the museum) and an interest in cool antique cars and you’ll be all set!

Getting to Fairbanks’ Fountainhead Auto Museum

Getting to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is easy. It’s located at the edge of the Wedgewood Resort just a few minutes from downtown Fairbanks. There is plenty of parking and the museum itself is wheelchair accessible. It’s an easy place to visit most days.

Things to do in Fairbanks

I feel like when people talk about visiting Alaska, Fairbanks is a last thought, but it shouldn’t be. I love this city, it’s people, it’s dogsled culture and the beautiful nature all around it. Fairbanks is THE winter destination in Alaska with ample dark sky space to watch the Northern Lights and endless outdoor opportunities, whether you’re looking for a mellow snowy escape or hardcore Alaskan adventures. In summer, Fairbanks is a great home base for visiting the Arctic Circle, Denali National Park, spending days kayaking or fishing. It’s beautiful!

Ideas for Fairbanks activities:

Where to Stay in Fairbanks, Alaska

Keep in mind when you’re planning your trip to Fairbanks that it is not a large city. It’s the second largest in Alaska, but it’s not huge. Hotel options are limited and when it comes to booking a luxury hotel stay, that’s not really a thing here. There are nice hotels and really cool lodges and vacation rentals, but white glove luxe ain’t happening. We’ve stayed in all kinds of Fairbanks accommodations, so have solid recommendations (below). I like being based downtown if we have a diverse, busy itinerary, but staying outside of town up in the hills is such a treat, it’s worth planning a night or two away from the city.

You’ll find that the cost of lodging in Fairbanks ranges wildly from season to season. In the summer, standard hotel rooms are not likely available for under $250 per night, with the average being well over $300 per night. In the winter you can get some awesome hotel deals as low as $125 per night. Just keep this in mind as you’re planning your visit to Fairbanks or anywhere in Alaska.

Here are our hotel picks in Fairbanks: