Antarctica

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth. So hostile is its environment to humans that it has no permanent inhabitants. However, Antarctica’s unique environment makes it one of the world’s most important places for scientific research.

Explore some of the discoveries scientists are making and how they reveal possible signs of changes in the future. Experience life in Antarctica through the stories and pictures of Antarctic Heritage Trust conservators working to preserve the huts and provisions used on historic expeditions over 100 years ago.

Antarctica fact file

Take a look at these facts to learn more about Antarctica’s unique environment and how wildlife has adapted to its extreme conditions.
Antarctic research

Scientists come from all over the world to study Antarctica's effect on world climate and sea level, its uniquely-adapted forms of animal and plant life, and much more. Discover some of the research being carried out in Antarctica, including by Museum scientists, in these videos and interviews.
Antarctic conservation blog

Join conservators working through Antarctica’s extreme seasons to conserve the base used by Scott for his 1911 expedition to the South Pole. Find out what it's like to live and work in Antarctica and what’s involved in preserving the artefacts left behind by the great explorers.
Antarctic heritage and conservation

Why should we, and how do we preserve the huts left by the great explorers? Watch a video about Scott’s hut and find out more about the project to protect the heritage of Scott and Shackleton’s expedition bases.
Images of Antarctica

Explore the world around Scott and Shackleton's bases in Antarctica, from icy landscapes to the antics of penguins and seals, in this slideshow.
Maps of Antarctica and Ross Island

Check the locations visited by Scott, Shackleton and the other early Antarctic explorers, including Mount Erebus, Scott Base and Cape Evans.