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Conserving the past

The United Kingdom and New Zealand Heritage Trusts work to conserve historic Antarctic buildings and artefacts.

The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) manages the heritage sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. The Antarctic Heritage Trust New Zealand manages heritage sites at Cape Adare and the Ross Island.

Despite the dry cold environment the huts and their contents deteriorate and need a continual programme of conservation.

 

Scott’s Last Expedition exhibition

The huts managed by UKAHT

Click on each of the huts to find out more about the conservation management of the historic sites.

 

Port Lockroy
Damoy Refuge
Detaille Island
Wordie House
Horseshoe Bay
Stonington Island

The huts managed by AHT

Click on each of the huts to find out more about the conservation management of the historic sites.

This is the base associated with Carsten Borchgrevink’s British Antarctic (Southern Cross) Expedition.
Borchgrevink's Hut, Cape Adare. © Harrowfield David L. 1991 Archaeology of Borchgrevink's Stores Hut, Cape Adare, Antarctica.
Robert Falcon Scott’s Hut, Hut Point
Scott's Hut, Hut Point
Shackleton's Hut, Cape Royds
Robert Falcon Scott’s Hut, Cape Evans
Scott's Hut, Cape Evans

‘Once lost they are lost for ever. These historic buildings stand as the last vestiges of this period, and bear testament not only to the endurance and courage of the explorers and the hardships they experienced, but to the minutia of their everyday experience.’

Provisions preserved in Discovery Hut, McMurdo Station which was last occupied in 1917.
Provisions preserved in Discovery Hut, last occupied in 1917. © British Antarctic Survey, John Shears
Medicine cabinet in Scott's Hut, Cape Evans.
Medicine cabinet in Scott's Hut. © British Antarctic Survey, John Shears
Century old boot left in Scott's Hut, Cape Evans
Boot left in Scott's Hut. © British Antarctic Survey, John Shears.
Scientific instruments in situ, Scott's Terra Nova Hut, Cape Evans, Antarctica
Scientific instruments in Scott's Hut. © www.flickr.com/photos/sandwichgirl/
Left over rations in Scott's Hut, Cape Evans.
Left over rations in Scott's Hut. © British Antarctic Survey, John Shears

Activity

Design a booklet

Choose one of the historic sites and design a booklet, ‘Why save the huts?’, which could be used by tourists visiting Antarctica and also to raise funds to help conserve the huts and artefacts. 

Your booklet should include:

  • Where the hut is – mark them on the blank base map
  • Information about the trust which manages the conservation and preservation of the hut
  • When the hut was built and what it has been used for
  • Why it should be conserved
  • Rules for people visiting the site

Use these websites to help you to further: