old kmart, new museum

The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is relocating from Wedgewood Resort to the former Kmart building at 3121 Airport Way in Fairbanks, expanding into about 90,000 square feet of space. The move comes after two decades at the museum's previous Wedgewood location.

The larger footprint means visitors will finally be able to see nearly the museum's entire collection, roughly 135 vehicles including antique automobiles, motorcycles and some of Alaska's earliest snowmachines. Most of that collection had been kept in storage at the old site for lack of room.

The relocation also brings a new partnership with the Pioneer Air Museum, which will place vintage aircraft on display alongside the cars. The aircraft lineup will start with five planes and grow to eight or nine. A fashion exhibit featuring clothing from the same early era will also be part of the new space.

Museum staff keep most of the collection in running condition, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the maintenance work that keeps the vehicles operating. The museum has operated in Fairbanks for 40 years under the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum name.

The museum aimed to open around the start of June, though the date may slide a couple of weeks into a soft opening as the new space is finished.