Smithsonian loans Haida wedding dress to Dorothy Grant exhibit in Juneau

Smithsonian wedding dress joins Grant retrospective in Juneau

A Haida wedding dress held by the Smithsonian is on view in Juneau this August, part of a retrospective covering 40 years of designer Dorothy Grant's work.

The Alaska State Museum is showing "Dorothy Grant Retrospect: Raven Comes Full Circle" through Oct. 17. The exhibit opened May 1. Museum material says it traces Grant's career "from traditional regalia to contemporary fashion and her critical role in bringing Indigenous fashion to the world stage."

Grant was born in Hydaburg and belongs to the Yahgw Janáas clan of the Haida Nation. The Haida Gwaii Museum at Kay Llnagaay organized the show, curated by Nika Collison, and first mounted it in 2024.

The Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum sponsored the borrowing of the "Raven Takes the World" wedding dress, headdress and "Raven's Beak" shoes from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

The museum at 395 Whittier St. charges $14 for adults, and admission is free for anyone 18 and younger.