East of downtown along Lincoln St, the Russian Bishop’s House is the oldest intact Russian building in Sitka. Built in 1843 by Finnish carpenters out of Sitka spruce, the two-story log house is one of only four surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America. The National Park Service (NPS) has restored the building to its 1853 condition, when it served as a school and residence for the Russian bishop, Innocent (Ivan Veniaminov).
You can wander the ground-floor museum, with its rescued exhibits and short film, at will. Access to the top floor, home to re-created living quarters and the private chapel of Bishop Innocent, is by guide only. Free tours leave on the half-hour. Tours can also be arranged from October to April, just make sure to call ahead.
