The Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) and Polar Museum, Cambridge, UK
Image credit: Haus of Hiatus
The Polar Museum is a really interesting stop in the cold-environment-adventure-enthusiast’s research pathway before undertaking any kind of expedition of this kind!
The Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) is co-located with the Polar Museum, and according to the website, was established in 1920 as a memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott and houses the Polar Library of archived photographs and historical collections on polar exploration.
Interestingly, the Polar Museum is understood to have the following items of Polar exploration on permanent display:
- Snow googles used by Ernest Shackleton on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-16 (Endurance) – given to him by Harald Nilsen.
- An unopened tin of pemmican taken from the hut of the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09 (Nimrod).
- A folding camera, manufactured by A.E. Staley & Co. and used by Robert Falcon Scott at the South Pole, 1912, on the British Antarctic Expedition 1910-13 (Terra Nova).
The Polar Museum’s website says it is currently open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:00-16:00, however I visited on a day it was closed sadly and only got to see a small part of it. With that in mind, it’s clearly best to check to ensure the opening times are still current, as I’d hate you to make a wasted journey if they change it.
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