The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in South Kensington, London

Written By Chris Shirley MA FRGS

Image credit: Haus of Hiatus

The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) is a British learned society and professional body located in beautiful South Kensington, London.

 

Founded in 1830 and with the objective of promoting geographical science and exploration, the society has a long history of supporting explorers and their expeditions and has a number of famous past members, including Sir David Attenborough, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Sir Francis Drake.

 

The society's main activities include organising lectures, seminars, and conferences for its membership of over 16,000 individuals and organisations; publishing a quarterly journal called "The Geographical Journal"; and supporting research and fieldwork in geography, geology and earth science.

 

The society also awards grants and medals to researchers and explorers, and it maintains a large collection of maps, photographs, and artefacts related to geography and exploration that are often put out on display, such as the original negatives produced on Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition by Frank Hurley.

 

The RGS also runs an educational program for schools, which include lectures, workshops and field trips for students to learn more about geography, geology and earth science.

 

Overall, the Royal Geographical Society is a respected institution that plays a vital role in promoting and supporting geographical research, exploration, and education and set in a beautiful part of London, that’s well worth visiting if you get an opportunity!

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Chris Shirley MA FRGS

About the Author: A former Royal Marines officer and advisor to the BBC, Chris has travelled in over 60 countries, is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Guinness World Record holder for rowing over 3500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, a Marathon des Sables finisher, and is the founder of ‘Haus of Hiatus’, a website design and branding studio that designs and amplifies start-ups, scale-ups and special projects around the world.

He has worked with Hollywood actors, world–renowned musical artists and TV personalities, and is delighted to have had his work featured by the United Nations, Red Bull, BBC, and even seen at the South Pole!

https://www.hausofhiatus.com/team
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