3 Best Sights in Aleutian Islands, Alaska Peninsula, and Pribilof Islands, The Bush

Undoubtedly the most dramatic human-made sight in Unalaska is the Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox church. The blue, onion-domed chapel right on the edge of Iliuluk Bay is arguably the most perfectly intact and authentic Russian church left in Alaska, and one of the most scenic churches anywhere. The extant buildings date to the 1890s, although there has been a church on the site since 1808. Now a National Historic Landmark, Holy Ascension is one of the oldest cruciform-style Russian churches in the nation, and it houses one of Alaska's richest collections of Russian artifacts, religious icons, and artwork. Next to the church is the Bishop's House. A walk in the graveyard between the two buildings captures some of the history of the area. Tours of the church can be arranged through the Unalaska/Dutch Harbor Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This remarkable museum highlights the cultural, military, and natural history of the Aleutian and Pribilof islands. You'll find an exhaustive array of objects representing the region's history, from gut parkas and repatriated religious artifacts to original drawings from Captain Cook's third voyage. The exhibits also give glimpses into the Unangax̂ way of life, as well as illustrating the impact of Russian contact and occupation, the gold rush, World War II, the fishing industry, and more. In the summer, the museum sponsors archaeological digs as well as periodic lectures by visiting scientists, historians, and researchers. It also offers a range of guided tours, indoors and out. You can take gallery or special collections tours in the museum, or venture out on a city walk, a Bunker Hill hike, a driving tour of Amaknek Island, or a morning history and photography tour.

The largest of the Pribilof Islands at 40 square miles, St. Paul Island is home to the greatest concentration of northern fur seals in the world—500,000 of them—and more than 180 varieties of birds. The island offers a guaranteed treat for folks who love birds and marine animals. The Unangax̂ people lived in the Aleutian Islands south of St. Paul and traditionally traveled to the Pribilofs seasonally for hunting. Russian fur traders claimed and named St. George, St. Paul, and St. Peter islands, and then enslaved and relocated Unangax̂ people in Atka, Siberia, and Unalaska to the islands to hunt for fur seals. Hundreds of descendants of these first nation people live in St. Paul year-round now, and the community has many elements of Unangax̂ culture as well as Russian Orthodox influences, easily seen in the Saints Peter and Paul Church, built in 1907. There's a small museum nearby.