Hammer Museum

The Hammer Museum in Haines, Alaska, is devoted entirely to the history and uses of hammers, tracing the tool from ancient examples through colonial times and the industrial age. Built from founder Dave Pahl’s lifelong collecting, it opened in 2002 in a hundred-year-old building that he and his wife Carol bought to house the collection. More than 1,400 hammers and related tools are exhibited, with thousands more in storage, including artifacts linked to blacksmithing, mining, carpentry, railroads, medicine, music, and other trades. Notable pieces include an Egyptian dolerite ball, Roman battle heads, a ceremonial Tlingit warrior’s pick, and numerous hammer patents.

Haines, Alaska · United States