Aurora Ice Museum
Sixty miles from Fairbanks, Alaska, inside a building kept at -7°F year-round, visitors don parkas to explore 1,000 tons of sculpted ice. The Aurora Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs Resort is a permanent ice gallery carved by world champion ice sculptor Steve Brice - chandeliers, a bed, a bar, jousting knights, and northern lights scenes, all carved from ice harvested from Chena's ponds. The experience is surreal: you enter the warmth of an Alaskan resort, pull on a provided parka, and step into a frozen gallery where everything - walls, furniture, decorations, and drinking glasses - is made of ice. The museum stays frozen even in summer, maintained by a system powered partly by geothermal energy from the same hot springs that warm visitors before and after their visit.
The Ice
The Aurora Ice Museum contains approximately 1,000 tons of ice, harvested from ponds at Chena Hot Springs and carved into elaborate sculptures. The ice is crystal clear - achieved through a controlled freezing process that prevents air bubbles. World champion ice sculptor Steve Brice designs and carves the museum's centerpieces: chandeliers suspended from the ceiling, a functional bar, beds covered in reindeer hides (for overnight guests), jousting knights, and scenes depicting the aurora borealis. Colored lights illuminate the ice, creating an ethereal glow. The sculptures are permanent - the building maintains -7°F regardless of outside temperature, so the ice never melts.
The Experience
Visitors to the Aurora Ice Museum receive insulated parkas and boots before entering - the sustained cold is real and significant. Inside, guides explain the ice-carving process and point out details in the sculptures. The centerpiece experience is the ice bar, where drinks are served in glasses carved from ice. The signature appletini comes in a frozen glass that guests keep (or let melt) as a souvenir. For an additional fee, guests can spend the night in the ice hotel beds - reindeer hides and sleeping bags provide insulation against the frozen surfaces. Most visitors stay 20-30 minutes; the cold eventually wins.
The Resort
Chena Hot Springs Resort provides the context for the ice museum. The resort has operated since 1905, its naturally heated hot springs drawing visitors to soak in outdoor pools even when air temperatures drop to -40°F. The resort is a destination for aurora viewing - clear, dark skies and northern location make it prime territory for northern lights. The ice museum complements the hot springs experience: freeze in the ice gallery, then warm up in geothermally heated pools. The resort also features a renewable energy program, using geothermal power for electricity - some of which maintains the ice museum's freezing temperatures.
The Sculptor
Steve Brice, the ice museum's primary sculptor, is a multiple world champion in ice carving. He has competed internationally and won titles including the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks (held annually in March). Brice's work at Chena is permanent, unlike competition pieces that melt after events. The museum allows him to create elaborate installations that exist year after year, refined and expanded over time. His style combines technical precision with artistic vision - the chandeliers function structurally while serving as art objects. The ice jousting knights, frozen in mid-combat, demonstrate both carving skill and dramatic composition.
Visiting the Aurora Ice Museum
The Aurora Ice Museum is located at Chena Hot Springs Resort, 60 miles east of Fairbanks, Alaska, on Chena Hot Springs Road. Tours are offered throughout the day; reservations recommended. Admission includes parka and boots. The appletini experience costs extra. Ice hotel overnight stays require advance booking. The resort offers hot springs, dining, and accommodations. Fairbanks International Airport provides access; rental cars are available. The road from Fairbanks is paved but can be icy in winter. The aurora viewing season runs roughly September through April. Summer visitors can combine the ice museum with midnight sun experiences. Temperatures inside the museum are -7°F year-round - the parkas provided are essential.
From the Air
Located at 65.05°N, 146.05°W east of Fairbanks, Alaska. From altitude, Chena Hot Springs Resort appears as a small development in boreal forest at the end of Chena Hot Springs Road. The hot springs themselves may be visible as steam in cold weather. The ice museum building is not distinguishable from other resort structures. The Chena River valley stretches west toward Fairbanks. The terrain is classic Interior Alaska - rolling boreal forest, rivers, and the mountains of the Tanana-Yukon highlands. Fairbanks is 60 miles west. The isolation is apparent - one road in, wilderness in every direction.