UAF Crowdfunding

We're excited to share a major milestone in our efforts to bring the museum's new gold mining history exhibit to life. This exhibit began with an extraordinary gift from Roger Burggraf, who donated his personal collection of gold to the UA Museum of the North. With your support, we’re transforming his collection and other specimens and historical items into an engaging experience that will connect visitors with the geology, history, and people behind Alaska's gold story.

We thank all of our 80 donors who have contributed more than $61,000 toward our $130,000 project goal. With this generous contribution from the Bill Stroecker Foundation, we are within $20,000 of full funding for the exhibit! 

In addition to this generous financial support, the Bill Stroecker Foundation will contribute gold nuggets and historical materials that will help tell the story of Alaska's rich mining heritage.

Thank you to Kinross Alaska, Northern Star POGO Mine, Alaska Miners Association, and the Bill Stroecker Foundation for their generous leadership support.

Please call Museum Development at (907) 474-2786 or email ajallegood@alaska.edu with questions and feedback. 

Photo from left: UA Museum of the North Director Pat Druckenmiller accepts a $50,000 gift from Bill Stroecker Foundation Trustee George Lounsbury, General Manager Rebekah Vander Lugt, and Trustee Jerry Walker in support of the museum's upcoming Gold Mining History exhibit.

During the July 2025 Nanook Rendezvous at UAF, Roger received acknowledgement for his generous donation. He also received an updated list of all donors who are supporting the museum's gold mining history exhibit that will feature his gold collection. Thank you, donors!

Roger's donation of his personal gold collection to the museum was celebrated at the Alaska Miners Association Summer Kick-Off BBQ in Fairbanks. We are grateful, Roger, for your contributions to mining in Alaska.

Roger and DeLois were celebrated at the March 18 Chamber of Commerce luncheon with an announcement of their gold collection donation and an enthusiastic standing ovation. Thank you, Roger and DeLois, for your generosity and legacy.

Thank you, community, for the outpouring of support for this project!

Currently, the museum is creating renderings and working on security considerations for the new exhibit case in the Gallery of Alaska.

We are eager to present Roger with a personal acknowledgement of his generous donation and share the list of contributors to the Gold Mining History Exhibit with him at the end of March 2025. 

Please join Kinross Alaska in celebrating Roger Burggraf's legacy and supporting this exhibit to share the state's gold mining history with visitors from around the world.

Thank you, Kinross Alaska!