Australia's Antarctic Collection on Display

By Lily Nothling

Topic: Libraries, Museums and Galleries

Tue 30 Jun 2026 at 4:00pm

The National Museum of Australia is showing items from Australian explorer Cecil Madigan's 1912 trip to Antarctica.

In short:

A new exhibition shows the human side of Australia's work in Antarctica through objects from the National Antarctic Heritage Collection.

It has over 200 objects and artifacts from more than a century of Antarctic exploration, most of which are on display for the first time.

What's next?

The Antarctica exhibition will run from July 1 to October 11 at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

Nerilie Abram has been to Antarctica five times.

Nerilie Abram is the chief scientist of the Australian Antarctic Division.

For Nerilie Abram, Antarctica is a source of fascination and wonder.

She has been part of important Antarctic research, including a trip to the melting Denman Glacier.

But she thinks people will be most surprised by the daily struggles of living in such a harsh environment.

Nerilie Abram collected ice cores on James Ross Island in 2008.

Nerilie Abram said, 'We live in tents on the ice for months, and we have to be careful about the weather.'

She said, 'We have to check the weather forecast and make sure everything is secure in case of a blizzard.'

She also said, 'We have to dig in the snow to find our food, and it's like, what will we eat tonight?'

'One of the greatest Antarctic collections in the world'

A 1975 Mole Mink vehicle is on display, made in Sydney but built in Antarctica.

Australia has a strong connection to Antarctica, but few people can visit.

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Australia lets visitors explore life on the ice and the stories behind over a century of exploration.

The exhibition has over 200 objects and artifacts donated by the Australian Antarctic Division.

Laura Cook said Antarctica is like a 'living archive of our past'.

Laura Cook said, 'It was a huge collection of treasures.'

Many objects have never been on display before.

A model of Mawson station is on display.

The exhibition includes special vehicles like the 1975 Mole Mink and a 1955 barge caravan.

A sled and skis used by Cecil Madigan in 1912 are also on show.

A barge caravan from 1955 is on display.

A yellow jacket worn by Diana Patterson, the first woman to lead an Australian Antarctic station, is on display.

There are 12 taxidermied sled dogs that formed close bonds with explorers.

Visitors can see food packs and a beer brewed in Antarctica in 1969.

Some objects are personal, like diaries and letters from explorers.

A 21-year-old surveyor wrote in 1912, 'I pity those who don't get to explore the world.'

Some items show the personal side of Antarctic explorers.

Inspiring the next generation

The exhibition has been in the works since 2022, and Dr. Cook said it's one of the biggest and most rewarding of her career.

Dr. Cook said, 'I think Antarctica fascinates Australians because it affects us all.'

The Antarctica exhibition will run from July 1 to October 11.

Professor Abram said she's thrilled the exhibition tells the stories of Australians who dedicated their lives to research and conservation.

The exhibition opens to the public on July 1.

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