Metal Art Class Experience In Sitka

This was a really fun experience and we were so happy to take our keepsakes home to put on our wall for amazing memories. Jelsey was a great instructor and very helpful given I’ve never done anything like this. The shuttle dropped us off into town later and everyone kept asking where we bought the metal art cause they looked so good!

This was an awesome experience! Worth the price and you come home with a project that you create! We learned how the shapes were cut out then we got to work on buffing off the rough edges, shining up the metal, then using a flame torch to add color to our work. It was fantastic and so much fun!

Amazing! Great instruction, fun, safe. Love my piece!

If you want to leave Sitka with an authentic souvenir, this is the excursion for you. You actually put the finishing touches on an animal that represents Alaska. You use a grinder and a blowtorch. Trust me that was a first for me. It was great fun.

Best excursion ever! Highly recommend! Nice people, built in souvenir, just fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The instructor was knowledgeable, thoughtful, organized and helpful the entire time. He helped and guided the entire time. It was fun and amazing to see the final pieces that we created!

This class was so flippin cool. Not only did I learn new cool art skills, but I got to go home with proof of those skills. Highly, highly, highly recommend this class. Teachers were patient and encouraging throughout.

We had so much fun! We had 4 people in our group. Mike (the owner) met us at the Ward Cove cruise port to make sure our shuttle got us to the shop. My family of 4 had an awesome time picking out our creature and then completing the details! Luke was our instructor and he is a welding instructor at a local university. We were very thankful for having the option to mail them home (instead of taking them with us on 10 more days in Alaska), for drinks after the class and the shuttle back to the ship.

I had a blast doing the Metal art class here. There were about 20 people in the class. We were given a piece of steel in the shape of an animal species that we chose from one of about sixteen different options. I chose to make a Bear. First we took off all the burs created when the cutouts were burnt on their plasma cutter with a die grinder. Then we used a finishing grinder to add texture to our pieces. Next step was a bit of forming and bending with a few tabletop devices created specifically for the wall hangings we were making. Finally we added color by using heat from a touch. This was the tricky part and the heat changes colors very quickly. It was a bit of a challenge, to keep going from the brown to purple. I was making a brown bear since that is the only kind they have in Sitka. I had a great time and would highly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to make art and create a cool souvenir to take or ship home.

When I spotted this excursion activity when booking my cruise, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites.... it absolutely did not disappoint! No matter your skill level, the instructor made this a fun and informative experience. Each person picks from a large selection of precut flat metal animals , and leaves with a beautiful hand crafted souvenir . I will definitely do this again if I'm ever back in Sitka.

Absolutely the best excursion we’ve ever had! Staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. We’re going home with a piece of art we created, not just something to be forgotten. Don’t hesitate to go when in Sitka. The best part of our cruise by far.

I booked my grandchildren, ages 12 to 16, (4 of them). They absolutely loved this experience and said it was their favorite so far on our Alaskan Cruise! Mike was so accommodating and the communications with him were flawless. I would so recommend this- they made a more lasting souvenir from their trip than any store bought trinket. Nancy C.

Amazing, fun experience for anyone that likes to use their hands. My family and I had a great time creating our metal art animals. The instructors guide you through the process in smaller steps to help everyone be successful. By focusing on one step at a time, it makes it less intimidating for anyone that might feel uneasy using the tools, or that may feel intimidated working with metal. This class was so well laid out and the instructors were great-So personable and helpful! At the end of class you end up with a great souvenir to remember your trip and class. I would go back again if I get the chance. My teenagers loved being able to use their hands and learn how to use some cool power tools and torches too! As a side note- they can also ship your art for a fee if you are unable to take it with you.

Do it. I’ve never heard or seen anything like this before. The two ladies who were teaching the class were very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed the class and have an awesome piece of metal art to show for it.

Enjoyed our excursion to the Salty Sitkan in June 26’ for a metal workshop. Received hands on instruction in a small class setting and created our very own metal decorative pieces. For a fee they picked us up and delivered us back to the pier at the close of class. Thanks to Greg and Roman for being splendid hosts. Mahalo from Hawaii!

100% fun, easy to follow instructions and great patience from the class teachers. Small group activity and easy for a cruise port call. Would do again and highly recommend

Excellent. Instructions were very clear and friendly instructor and his helper! Also, we get to bring home some very nice, uniquely made souvenirs!

When I saw this class it was a must for my daughter and I! When I checked our itinerary, I was so disappointed to see that my ship wouldn't be docked in time for the class that I wrote Mike, the owner, and he coordinated with the cruise line to make it happen! It was absolutely amazing and we both got to make our own once in a lifetime souvenirs to bring home! Mike is an incredible teacher. His shop is well equipped and we learned so much about metal work. He turned metal work into a simple four step process to make a masterpiece. Mike was also helpful in getting us a ride into his shop from the dock so we didn't have to take a shuttle or get lost. The service and professionalism of this business gets an A+. Additionally, it was so much fun!

If you want to trade your daily routine for a blowtorch and some serious fun, this metalworks class is an absolute must. Walking into a workshop full of heavy machinery can feel intimidating, but the phenomenal instructors instantly break down the barrier. They prioritize safety while keeping the energy high, lighthearted, and incredibly encouraging. Their patience transforms industrial fabrication into a rewarding creative playground. There is an unmatched thrill to putting on some goggles and watching sparks fly. The experience puts you into a total flow state where the outside world just fades away. You get to heat, bend, and fuse raw steel into a unique piece of art—leaving the shop with a little soot on your clothes, a massive smile, and a solid creation that will last a lifetime. An unforgettable, empowering experience. I can’t recommend it enough!

I took this class with my 67-year-old sister and my 17-year-old son, which is about as good a stress test as you can give any activity. Mike managed to keep all three of us engaged, learning, and having fun. The shop is welcoming, the instruction is clear, and the process is hands-on without being intimidating. Mike strikes that perfect balance of helping when needed while still letting you feel like you're creating something yourself. We all walked away with pieces we were proud of and a much greater appreciation for the skill involved. Finding something a teenager actually enjoys, a retiree can comfortably do, and everyone wants to talk about afterward isn't easy. This class checked all those boxes. We'd absolutely do it again. And our friends who took the whale watching were jealous.

This was a very fun experience. We had a cool experience. With a very cool piece of artwork to show for it.

This experience was great, we had so much fun. The instructor and assistant were so helpful. We had our pieces shipped home to us and it came very quickly. I would recommend this experience to everyone.

Excellent adventure. Never have I ever done metal work and now I have a crab! The time was orchestrated so perfectly that I never felt rushed and when I didn't follow instructions there was a helper to get me caught up. 10 out of 10 would recommend and do it again.

It was fun! And to top it off you were able to bring your art home with the satisfaction you created it.

Incredible experience! Knowledgeable staff and an amazing experience from start to finish. Would do again!

Artful metal work using power tools and torches. Friendly and supportive instructors roamed medium size class. Many different native animal patterns to choose from. Challenging and fun, highly recommended.

We learned so much, had a wonderful fun time, and ended up with a personalized piece of souvenir art and memories we will all treasure! Highly recommend and hope to come back and take class again in the future. Thank you!

Well organized class, knowedgable instructor, beautiful art that is not only wonderful memorabila but a great learning experience that both kids and adults can be proud of. A great indoor experience to get out of the rain but still get a taste of Sitka!

So much fun! Great and patient instructor! Wished we could have done it again! Small group meant that everyone could get the help they needed.

This class is an absolute must! It was so much fun and got to work with a true well versed artist. Not only do you learn about beautiful metal art but you get to take a beautiful piece of art home with you! It was truly a great experience and I can’t thank Randy enough.

My daughter (who loves art) and I wanted to do something different on vacation so we chose metal art making. We had a fantastic time! Greg, our instructor, was very accommodating and very helpful for those of us who are not as artistic. My daughter made a fabulous octopus, and my bear wasn’t too shabby either. As a bonus, we got to stay nice and dryinside while it was raining in Sitka! We would highly recommend this excursion. Thank you for a memorable mother-daughter outing in Alaska!

The Salty Sitkan was a unique excursion. We crated a unique keepsake with the guidance of skilled metal workers. Highly recommended, book early!

My husband and I took this workshop during a stay in Sitka, and we both really enjoyed it. I have no experience using any kind of shop tools, etc or doing art, but the teacher made it very easy. You start with a plain metal animal (your choice of several) and learn how to grind it, polish it, shape it, and then apply heat with a torch to create different colors. It was really fun and different, and we left with our creations which will give us lasting memories.

Fun and fast! From selection of metal piece and instructions we - polished, cleaned, polished again, grinded and gave definition by torching it to a color we like. Loved every minute of it!

This was such a fun project that we wouldn’t have been able to do anywhere else. The instructors were very friendly. Both my boys (13 and 15) ranked it very high on our week long vacation to Alaska. Now we have an awesome souvenir that we’ll have to remember our trip to Sitka.

my husband and I had the time of our life. I am a Craft person. He is not but his fish metal sculpture turned out way better than mine. I would do this class again in a heartbeat.

Truly unique experience. You will leave with a souvenir that you can tell an entire story about its creation. Guided by a true teacher with kindness and expertise, we worked for a couple hours, learning the whole process from plasma cutting to torching. My boys and I could not be happier and I guarantee they won’t soon forget or throw this souvenir away.

The class was so fun! We had a choice of a dozen different animals/fish to do. And it turned out great, there is no real way to fail with the expert instruction. We made metal art which was selling in area tourist shops for about the same price as the class. And the workshop is next door to the Sitka Brewery/Pizza joint for some added bravery. Would so do this again!

With all the traditional tourist activities in every Alaskan stop, the metal art experience at The Salty Sitkans is one we will never forget. The staff were fun, knowledgeable, and professional. We have a new found appreciation for what goes into making metal wall art. What a great way to spend the morning!

My daughter and her step dad went to this class, they both came back and said it was a lot of fun! It’s great that it’s something pretty much the whole family can do!!!

Really enjoyed this class! Learned a lot and came home with a one of a kind souvenir from our time in Alaska. If travelling from out of town, they can ship your finished piece home for you, for a fee, if you don’t think it will fit in your luggage. Highly recommend this class as a valuable way to spend some of your time in Sitka. Great communication pre class as well.

This experience was one of the best I’ve done while traveling. Greg was our instructor. He was amazing. You get to use power tools safely, and I learned so much about metal. We got picked up at the cruise terminal and dropped off in downtown Sitka on the way back. 10/10 would definitely recommend

Really fun and interesting. Instructor was great and very helpful. It’s challenging but very rewarding and the finished product is a great keepsake.

Recommend for everyone. Not just travelers to the area, but locals should experience this for date night, group experience or family get together. Well presented, organized, educational, fun and everyone takes home personally created art.

We had a fantastic experience at the Salty Sitkan! The instructors were incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made the environment feel comfortable right from the start. They gave clear, step-by-step instructions, making it easy to follow along—even as a complete beginner. I really appreciated the hands-on experience and the chance to learn by doing. This class is perfect for anyone, regardless of skill level. It was the best shore excursion of our Alaskan cruise. Highly recommend!

Our instructor, Greg, was not only helpful, but funny. We really enjoyed our class and when my son made a mistake in shaping his crab (he broke off one of the legs) Greg was able to fix it and save the day!! We highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to do a make and take souvenir!!

This was one of the best ways to create memories with my family. Great instruction and a perfect souvenir from our trip. I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking for a great family activity. I took my daughters 13 and 17 and it is something we will always remember doing together.

This was the best excursion. It’s run by a high school shop teacher with some helpers. They have a van pick you up from the port and return you to port or drop you off downtown if you want with free shuttle buses there to return you to the port. They explained the processes quite well and were very helpful when you need it. I was a bit concerned about how I’d handle the grinders and blow torches since I’m a bit of a klutz but the staff are right there to guide you along. We had a group of 20 and never felt left out or rushed. You pick a shape once you get there - they had several to select from. I picked a crab and my husband selected a bear. And we have a nice keepsake to take home. All pieces were unique and really pretty once completed. We shipped our art work home but most people carried them home from the class. I strongly recommend doing this unusual activity. It is definitely not the run of the mill activity. You can’t go wrong and will have a fun time!!!

This was such a fun class and a great memory of our time in Sitka. Luke did such an amazing job teaching us how to make our one-of-a-kind artwork pieces. It was so cool to bring home something to keep that wasn't from a souvenir shop. I highly recommend this workshop for a truly unique experience.