Polar Day

From crafting snow goggles to rescuing polar animals, our Polar Day workshops offer something for every curious explorer. 

Budding scientists can help seals, penguins and polar bears find their way back to their icy homes in Sea Ice Shenanigans, while creative minds can get hands-on making their own snow goggles inspired by traditional Inuit designs. 

In Create Your Own Polar Animal, families can dive into the fascinating adaptations of real polar species before designing their own creature from the ice. 

These drop-in sessions blend art, science and imagination to bring the frozen world to life. 

Join a line-up of inspiring polar voices sharing stories from the field. 

Dr Nigel Jollands and Veronica Lysaght recount their extraordinary sailing expedition through the Northwest Passage in North on Novara, while Sophie Weeks from the Scott Polar Research Institute reveals how Arctic communities are leading the way in climate science through Heatwatchers. Professor Ilan Kelman rounds off the programme with Living with Our Changing Polar Seas.

Discover more extraordinary tales of exploration and endurance in these gallery-favourite talks held in the Polar Worlds Gallery. Learn how Inuit knowledge helped unravel the mystery of the lost Franklin expedition, and hear the story of Frank Hurley, the fearless photographer who risked everything to capture Shackleton’s legendary Antarctic journey and the true spirit of survival in the ice. 

Step back in time and deep into the Antarctic with A Frozen Night, an immersive 30-minute virtual reality experience from the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. 

Using archival material to recreate Base E on Stonington Island in 1965, this remarkable VR journey lets you witness the everyday triumphs and challenges of those who lived and worked in one of the most remote outposts on the planet. 

It’s an unforgettable opportunity to feel the isolation, adventure and beauty of the frozen south without leaving the museum.

Get hands-on with real polar science! Celebrate Polar Pride Day and see how researchers at Port Lockroy mark the occasion each year, explore the Arctic and Antarctic in 3D with members of the UK Polar Network, and try on authentic field clothing worn by polar scientists. 

From handling expedition equipment to seeing the world from a polar perspective, these interactive experiences put visitors right at the heart of discovery and exploration.