Photos: Walter Soboleff Center opens in Juneau

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The grand opening ceremony for the Walter Soboleff Center drew hundreds in Juneau, May 15, 2015. The center on Seward Street, is part of the revitalization of downtown Juneau.

JUNEAU -- Sealaska Heritage Institute dedicated its gleaming new Walter Soboleff Building Friday, bringing to life a $20 million dream that it took a decade to complete.

The new cultural center will do something unusual in the world of art and museums -- it will feature the story of Alaska's Native people being told by Alaska Natives themselves.

"This building is much more than a physical facility, it symbolizes the effort of Native people to ensure our cultural survival, but at the same time selectively embrace the benefits of our modern society," said Rosita Worl, president of Sealaska Heritage.

Read more: Walter Soboleff Center opens in Juneau as a hub for Southeast Native culture