Let us take you on a journey around the world with tales of intrepid explorers and remarkable feats of endeavour. Travel to the ends of the earth with stories of polar exploration from Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen, and discover new worlds with Columbus, Drake and Cook, to name just a few…

Exploration and endeavour

The new space race: a high-stakes competition of politics and power
Competition between the USA, China and Russia will have consequences for all of us here on Earth. But how is this 21st century space race different to the last one?
How to design a research ship: the building of HMS Challenger
Plans for HMS Challenger reveal how the ship was transformed from warship to research vessel - and set the blueprint for future scientific expeditions
11 Mar 2022
What the Endurance shipwreck discovery tells us about the ship's final hours
For more than a century, the wreck of Shackleton's ship Endurance has lain undisturbed in the icy waters off Antarctica. Its remarkable preservation is a testament to the ship's original builders and designers.
23 Feb 2022
Early charts from the Mediterranean
The Caird Library and Archive’s display case highlighted three colourful charts from the rich cartographic collection of Royal Museums Greenwich.
05 Jan 2022
Sledge from Shackleton Antarctic expedition goes on display to mark 100th anniversary of polar explorer’s death
100 years on from the explorer's death, a sledge used during Shackleton's Nimrod expedition has found a new home in the National Maritime Museum. Curator Jeremy Michell looks back on the efforts to save this important polar relic for the nation.
What happened to the crew of Erebus and Terror?
Sir John Franklin's final voyage in 1845 in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became the worst disaster in the history of British polar exploration
The race to the South Pole: Scott and Amundsen
What was the race to the South Pole and who reached it first?
History of Antarctic explorers
From first sighting to reaching the South Pole, discover the history of exploring Antarctica
19 Dec 2019
What did Polar explorers eat for Christmas lunch?
When tucking into your Christmas lunch this year, spare a thought for how polar explorers of the heroic age celebrated Christmas.
Curators against the clock
Delve into our video series where curators are put against the clock to answer some big questions