Until summer 2025, there is a new visitor route at the National Maritime Museum while we carry out essential improvements to the Museum's roof. Most galleries will still be open as normal, and special exhibitions are currently free for all visitors. However, the Great Map and AHOY! will be closed for the duration of the works. Find out more.
Essential Information
Location
National Maritime Museum
21 Nov 2007
Archive Journeys are held every Thursday at 2.30pm in the E-Library, and are an excellent opportunity for visitors to experience some of our most famous historical moments and figures first hand. Showcasing documents and treasures you may not otherwise see, they are a must for any Museum visitor!
Polar Exploration
As the International Polar Year sees scientists uncovering more of the secrets of our polar regions than ever before, our Polar Exploration Archive Journey looks back over the spectacular, and often gruesome, history of polar exploration.
The talk includes some of Shackleton’s original letters from his first expedition with Scott, and photographs from his last expedition aboard the Quest.
Everyone has heard of the harrowing ordeals of the Arctic summer, when explorers would strike out towards the pole, however few know the hardships of the Arctic winter. Trapped in the cold and dark with few supplies and only your shipmate's company, the men and their captains would go to extraordinary lengths to keep the team together and keep up morale.
The Polar Exploration Archive Journey includes a significant amount of material from the Assistance, the ship which discovered the remains of Franklin’s doomed voyage on the Discovery. Trapped in the frozen Arctic Sea for six months of night the crew would organize balls, plays and even ran their own newspaper!
Leah (Customer Services Library Assistant)
