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
The Trust is delighted to announce the eight young explorers who will walk in the footsteps of Scott and Shackleton and experience the Antarctic landscapes that challenged and inspired them.
The group, aged 16-35 from New Zealand and Australia, will join the tenth Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ which will travel to the Ross Sea region with Expedition Partner Heritage Expeditions, into the beating heart of Antarctic exploration and the focus of the Trust’s conservation efforts.
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.
The Trust’s latest documentary film, about the 2022 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ to the South Pole, is now available for you to watch for free.
Polheim tells the story of three young explorers given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; to ski across Antarctica in celebration of 150 years since the birth of Roald Amundsen, the first person to reach the South Pole.
Not only did these explorers have the physical challenge of ‘man-hauling’ sleds nearly 1000km in extreme weather conditions, but they also faced internal battles – 50 days of isolation in the most remote environment on the planet, with team members who were essentially strangers.
Sir Jerry Mateparae served as the 20th Governor-General of New Zealand from 2011–2016 and subsequently as the 27th New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2017–2020. With an impressive background in public service, New Zealand Defence Force leadership, and community involvement, Sir Jerry brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Trust.
Sir Jerry accompanied the Trust’s former Patron Sir Edmund Hillary on his last visit to Antarctica, and understands the Trust’s mission well.
“I’m rapt to follow Datuk Mark Stewart and to be a part of a Trust that preserves our past, the heritage of the heroic era, and engenders the same qualities of the likes of Scott, Shackleton and latterly Hillary in inspiring young explorers,” said Sir Jerry.
Thanks to our donors we have invited young people aged 18-35 to apply for Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ Ross Sea Antarctica, tracing the paths of legendary Antarctic explorers to mark the tenth anniversary of the Inspiring Explorers™ programme.
Antarctic Heritage Trust is proud to announce the launch of Scott’s Discovery Hut Virtual Reality Experience.
Developed in collaboration with Auckland-based virtual reality tech company StaplesVR, it is the first-ever educational virtual reality experience of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Hut and we’re bringing it to schools and communities across Aotearoa.
By donning the VR headset and holding the controllers, you can explore Scott’s Discovery Hut, come face to face with penguins, feed huskies, and even take a ride in a hydrogen balloon. Discovery Hut is significant in that it was the first expedition base built on Antarctica’s Ross Island. Scott led the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904 and the hut was built in 1902, making it over 121 years old.
Antarctic Heritage Trust’s new virtual reality experience allows participants to explore Scott’s ‘Discovery’ hut on Ross Island, Antarctica. © AHT/Alasdair Turner
In mid-April, the Trust’s 2024 Young Inspiring Explorers™ Summit saw 25 students, aged 11-14, from across Aotearoa New Zealand travel to Ōtautahi Christchurch, the country’s Antarctic Gateway City.
The goal of the Summit was to inspire students to develop an explorer mindset by stepping outside their comfort zone, all while fostering a connection with Antarctica and the legacy the Trust cares for. The students learned about Antarctic exploration history through various activities, heard firsthand experiences about conservation efforts on Ross Island, and engaged with Inspiring Explorers™ alumni.
This action-packed weekend was delivered in partnership with William Pike Challenge, and made possible thanks to the support of our donors, Inspiring Explorers™ programme partner Royal Society Te Apārangi, the United States Antarctic Program, the International Antarctic Centre, and the summit’s major sponsor, the US Embassy and Consulate in New Zealand.
Young Inspiring Explorers ready to race their completed sledge during the 2024 Young Inspiring Explorers™ Summit. © AHT/Anna Clare
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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
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