The History:In 1905, just four years after Fairbanks was founded, Thomas and Robert Swan paddled a canoe up the Chena River. On their journey they encountered miraculous hot springs that cured Robert Swan’s rheumatism. The Swans also found the remnants of a campfire. They learned later that the campfire had been made by Felix Pedro, the prospector who discovered gold in the local hills.While Pedro’s gold strike led to the founding of Fairbanks, the Swan’s discovery of the hot springs’ healing powers may have led to the founding of Chena River State Recreation Area. As soon as the Swans returned to town, Robert Swan told his story of soaking in the waters and curing his rheumatism. Soon, other ailing Fairbanks residents headed for the restorative hot springs. The waters cured their ills too, according to testimonials filed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
All of the data above comes from the Alaska State Natural History website. The whole amazing concept of this geothermal energy coming from the hot springs contains enough energy to cool this Ice Museum to 25 degrees year around. I read the entire pdf of how it has been accomplished and I still am not able to explain it in simple terms. Best if you just read about it on your own online.
This is the only year round Ice Museum in the World. It requires 180,000 btu per Hour, using 900 gallons of hot springs (160 degree) water per minute.
The museum was completed in 2005 from 1000 Tons of Ice and Snow harvested here at the resort.
Everything in this museum is Ice except the fur pelts that line the tops of the bar stools and the carpeting that you walk on throughout the museum
As you enter the museum to your left, you will see the working studio of Heather and Steve Brice, a husband and wife team. She, a seven time Champion, and he a sixteen time World Champion Ice Sculptor.
Heather and Steve work daily in this 25 degree studio producing the amazing sculptures you will see here.
Not the type you might purchase and take back home with you unless you live in a nearby igloo. The sculptures are here for you to enjoy and remember this very unique side trip.
While you are taking the tour of the many sculptures and ice rooms, Heather is carving your very own martini glass out of a small block of ice.
Parkas are provided for those visitors who don’t travel in the summer with winter type jackets. Since our house goes with us we have our own gear and gloves which are good to have after an hour in this frozen building.
After our martinis, I scooped up our ice glasses and put them in our cooler. Much to my surprise the glasses survived the 1 1/2 hour long trip back to Fairbanks.
