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(Yup'ik Museum, Library, and Multipurpose Cultural Center)
 The Yup’iit Piciryarait Library, Museum and Cultural Center provides access to information, materials, and services to all members of the Bethel community to stimulate ideas, advance knowledge and enhance the quality of life. Yup’iit Piciryarait is a unique facility that celebrates the Yup’ik culture and serves as a regional cultural center for Southwest Alaska.
In keeping with the preservation and conservation of the Yup’ik culture, Yup’ik themes such as the ellanguatt, or double circle motif that represent the cosmos and earth, are incorporated into architectural elements throughout the building, such as the ceiling patterns and light fixtures. A multi-purpose auditorium houses a stage for dance and community meetings, while the library houses a consortium collection of the University and City.
The building is located so that it can be entered from both the University of Alaska’s Kuskokwim Campus and from Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway, thus serving as a link between the community and the college, providing a place where all groups can learn about, practice, and preserve Yup’ik culture.
The project received an Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture from the Alaska Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
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