American Bald Eagle Foundation — Attraction in Alaska

If you find yourself in Haines, Alaska, during a cruise stop, I highly recommend making time for the American Bald Eagle Foundation. We visited during our Alaskan cruise and were really impressed with how much they’ve packed into such a small space. It’s not flashy, but it’s the kind of place that leaves you thinking—and feeling more connected to the incredible wildlife of Alaska.

The museum side features a wide range of native Alaskan animals, with detailed exhibits focused on individual species—from birds and mammals to marine creatures. It’s informative without being overwhelming, and you can tell it was put together by people who genuinely care about animals and education. The focus stays on the animals themselves, with fascinating facts, mounted specimens, and clear, easy-to-digest displays.

The highlight for me was the live raptors—bald eagles, owls, and hawk currently in care. Some are permanent residents due to injuries, and learning their backstories made the experience feel personal and meaningful. The staff clearly have a passion for what they do, and it was inspiring to see how much of a difference they make, even in a relatively small facility. For animal lovers or anyone interested in conservation, this place is absolutely...

5 Stars – A Special Place

This is truly a special stop in Haines, Alaska. The wildlife center offers an incredible collection of beautifully preserved taxidermy animals, birds, and fish that really give you a sense of the diverse wildlife in the region. From massive bears and moose to delicate birds and fish, the displays are both fascinating and educational.

What makes the visit even more memorable is the raptor sanctuary, where they care for and rehabilitate injured eagles, hawks, and owls. Being able to see these magnificent birds up close and learn about their recovery was both inspiring and humbling.

The staff here are outstanding, knowledgeable, welcoming, and clearly passionate about the animals and their mission. They are happy to answer questions, share stories, and make the whole experience feel very personal.

Whether you’re traveling through on a cruise ship or staying in town for a while, this is a place...

The 3 eagles, 1 hawk and 2 owls were beautiful. The dead stuffed animals were sad to see. But most of all they charged 25.00 a person. The web page said self guided tours were 15.00 a person. We expected the 25.00 deal that the web page stated included more than the self guided tour. So we went back to get our 10.00 per person back as we felt that we should have only paid the 15.00 fee. We were told that the web page was not updated as they were short staffed. I stated that that is not my problem and to only see what we saw at 25.00 a person was not right. I had to speak with a manager to get a refund back. And they continued to charge people 25.00 each. Shame on them to not stick to their web page and rip people off. If they do update their page it is not worth 25.00 a person to do a self...