Antarctica’s heritage under the Trust’s care for current and future generations globally
The world’s greatest polar exploration stories
Young people to explore the physical world to educate and inspire them
Sustain and grow the Trust’s programmes, while caring for people and the planet
To celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2027 and the collaboration that has made the Trust’s Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project one of the world’s largest and longest running cold climate conservation programmes, we’re looking for a diverse group of Inspiring Explorers™ to join a once in a lifetime expedition to Antarctica’s Ross Sea region from 5 January to 3 February 2027 with expedition partner Heritage Expeditions.
Participants will step inside the iconic expedition bases of Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton cared for by the Trust, contribute to the protection of Antarctica’s internationally significant cultural heritage, and develop your ‘Explorer Mindset’.
Applications are open to those 18-30 who are New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, and UK, U.S. and Irish citizens residing in New Zealand.
In August and September, Antarctic Heritage Trust and the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) will come together to bring two immersive virtual reality experiences to public venues in Australia and throughout New Zealand.
Both organisations care for important cultural heritage sites in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on the planet, and have become leaders in sharing heritage sites via immersive digital technology to educate, inspire, and create equity of access to these hard-to-reach places. The two VR experiences to feature are Scott’s Discovery Hut, a dynamic and immersive experience allowing you to step inside the first hut built on Ross Island just as Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton did over a century ago, created by the Trust, and A Frozen Night, created by UKAHT. This experience takes participants to Base E on Stonington Island, a pivotal dog sledging outpost established in 1946.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to take a virtual visit to Antarctica during this tour at a range of locations.
In January 2027, we’re celebrating our 40th anniversary with an Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ to the Ross Sea region of Antarctica with Expedition Partner Heritage Expeditions.
A limited number of supporter berths are available to purchase aboard our Expedition Partner Heritage Expeditions. You’ll journey to the Ross Sea, visit the historic expedition bases of Scott and Shackleton that we care for on behalf of the world, and travel alongside our 2027 Inspiring Explorers™ team as they contribute to our conservation work and begin developing their ‘Explorer Mindsets’.
By booking your berth as an Antarctic Heritage Trust supporter, Heritage Expeditions will donate part of your fare back to the Trust, helping support our ongoing work in Antarctica.
The Trust is excited to share that its new Strategic Plan (2026–2030) has now been published, providing a clear direction for how we will build on our strengths, respond to a changing environment, and create lasting impact. It reflects our commitment to deliver outcomes through collaboration, innovation, and stewardship.
The new Strategic Plan positions the Trust to respond to current and future challenges including, logistics to reach the sites we care for in Antarctica, a changing climate and how this will impact the historic sites, and ongoing fundraising for multiple programmes.
Follow a team of eight diverse rangatahi (young people) through their journey to the Ross Sea, Antarctica and venture inside the historic huts of legendary Antarctic explorers Scott and Shackleton.
Their mission – to conserve and return a precious taonga (artefact), negotiating thick pack ice as they attempt to reach 77 degrees South, the location of Scott’s Discovery hut.
Following the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s 2025 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™, this series captures the team’s discoveries and emotions as they explore the icy continent. They learn what it takes to care for Antarctica’s extraordinary historic sites, and day by day a sense of responsibility begins to form for this fragile and beautiful place, and the legacy of exploration held there.
Listen to all six episodes of 77 Degrees South now on our website with bonus content or listen on most major podcast channels.
In this edition of The Explorer, we take you to Antarctica for a look at another successful summer conservation season in the Ross Sea Region. This season saw two teams of conservation specialists deploy to the Ross Sea Region of Antarctica to undertake critical work programmes at the historic huts of Scott, Shackleton, Borchgrevink, and Hillary. The season included exciting finds, site mapping, and a deep dive into the way each hut’s construction is affected by the local environment.
You’ll also follow the journey of our 2026 Inspiring Explorers™ as they sail aboard the historic tall ship Bark EUROPA to the Antarctic Peninsula, learning firsthand what it takes to embrace an ‘Explorer Mindset’. Alongside expedition highlights, you’ll find governance and staff updates, inspiring alumni news, and a special story from long time supporter Beverly Shipka reflecting on her connection with Antarctica and why preserving its remarkable cultural heritage matters.
The Trust is excited to announce the team for the 2026 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™, set to sail to one of the most remote places on Earth, the Antarctic Peninsula, early next year!
Over the weekend, eight young Kiwis met for the first time in Christchurch NZ for four days of team building and gaining hands on sailing experience to prepare for the expedition.
Built in 1911, the ‘Bark EUROPA’ gives the team a unique connection to the legacy of Antarctica’s early explorers Scott and Shackleton, offering a rare opportunity to step into the world of heroic-era exploration.
They’ll take the helm, handle sails, stand watch, and navigate across the Drake Passage, all while being mentored by world-record-breaking solo sailor Lisa Blair.
We’re excited to announce our new Scott’s Discovery Hut Minecraft World, giving students worldwide the chance to explore Ross Island, Antarctica through Minecraft Education from mid-November.
Students at Te Oraka Shirley Intermediate School in Christchurch were the first to try it, receiving a special preview in recognition of their work helping to build the first version of the hut inside Minecraft.
Developed in partnership with WDekkers Digital and twelve Shirley Intermediate students through the Greater Christchurch Schools Network Kāhui Ako Digital Project, the experience begins aboard Scott’s ship, the RRS Discovery, before students explore Discovery hut, meet early explorers, and complete tasks like building kennels for huskies and designing their own Antarctic hut.
Part of the Inspiring Explorers Education™ programme, this Minecraft World will be delivered free to year 7 and 8 classrooms across Aotearoa New Zealand, alongside the Scott’s Discovery Hut Virtual Reality Experience.
A new partnership between Antarctic Heritage Trust and Spirit of Adventure Trust will see South Auckland students embark on a journey of discovery, combining virtual Antarctic exploration with real-world adventure aboard a three-masted tall ship.
The Spirit of Antarctica programme will give 150 students from 10 schools a chance to explore the icy continent through cutting-edge VR technology, before 15 students join a ten-day voyage with Spirit of Adventure Trust.
Schools participating in the programme are part of the AIMHI network (Achievement in Multi-Cultural High Schools). Antarctic Heritage Trust has developed a broad long-term partnership with the network over the last seven years, collaborating to deliver New Zealand-based education and expedition programmes for a range of age groups.
World-record-breaking solo sailor and environmental advocate Lisa Blair will join the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s next Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ as a mentor when the team sails to the Antarctic Peninsula in 2026 aboard the historic tall ship Bark EUROPA.
The holder of eight world records, including being the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around Antarctica, Lisa will share her powerful story of resilience, exploration, and science-at-sea with the next generation of explorers to challenge and motivate the team to step out of their comfort zone and begin to develop their own ‘Explorer Mindset’.
During April and May, charities New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust (NZAHT) and UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) joined forces to tour England and Scotland for the first time with two exciting immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences that use cutting-edge digital technologies to transform how the British public can learn about Antarctica’s rich history of science and exploration.
British expeditions played a significant role in shaping the course of Antarctic history from the heroic age through to the more recent scientific age on the continent.
Participants were able to take a unique step back in time by donning a VR headset and controllers, which will instantly transport them to Antarctica. They also had the chance to step inside and explore historic huts, come face to face with penguins, ride in a hydrogen balloon, feed huskies, meet early explorers and scientists and hear incredible tales of resilience, teamwork and innovation on the ice.
We were proud to host our first-ever Ōtautahi Christchurch Explorer Conference on Wednesday 18 June at Te Pae, welcoming 85 Year 12 students from 10 schools across the region.
The day was packed with energy as students heard from an inspiring line-up of speakers including keynote speaker and world record sailor Lisa Blair, inspirational speaker William Pike, and best-selling author Jake Bailey. The message was clear throughout the day: step outside your comfort zone.
Our Inspiring Explorers™ alumni led hands-on workshops exploring the ‘Explorer Mindset’ of resilience, leadership, curiosity, teamwork, and innovation. Students also had the chance to delve into Christchurch’s unique Antarctic heritage through visits to key historic sites.
Watch the new short film about the Trust’s ninth Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ which journeyed to South Georgia Island.
Across the Atlantic, directed by Inspiring Explorer Te Aroha Devon, follows climber Sam West as he prepares for a guided attempt to climb Mount Worsley with a small team of Inspiring Explorers™, and data scientist Jenny Sahng, part of the science outreach team tasked with capturing weather and ocean data and observations using both historic-era methods and MetSevice’s world-leading technology.
Donors and supporters across the world answered our call to enable an important conservation project which is now getting underway in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Ross Sea Party tent, an invaluable artefact from Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-17, is under scrutiny as three specialist conservators develop the most appropriate processes to conserve it.
In September 2024, metal conservator Emily Fryer and textile conservators Kate Blair and Sarah Clayton met to carefully look over this evocative piece of history. They are considering its current state, what conservation processes it needs and can withstand, and have taken samples for analysis to inform what happens next.
Antarctic Heritage Trust
7 Ron Guthrey Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Private Bag 4745, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Antarctic Heritage Trust
7 Ron Guthrey Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Private Bag 4745, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
