National Geographic Museum Blog

The Royal Navy at the turn of the 20th century was drowsy and inefficient although numerically imposing. As happens with those who have succeeded often their success leads to close-mindness, resistance to progress and in the case of the Navy blind obedience to those at the tops who were too the stuff of legends.

In the two decades prior to the turn of the 20th century Norway found itself under Swedish rule. Not easily ruled, however, the Norwegians had a strong nationalist spirit. It was a spirit that began with a love of nature and an almost religious zeal in regards to the awesomeness of her power. Ship-owners were the pinnacle of society and the Norwegians profited from their ability to take on scavenger tasks at sea.

Robert Falcon Scott was born in Plymouth England amidst four sisters, a younger brother and a house full of servants. He had a sheltered upbringing and suffered from a mysterious and possibly psychosomatic sickliness common in many Victorian childhoods. By all accounts he was an ordinary affable boy with a touch of temper and a generally idle demeanor. He was pushed into the Royal Navy after being sent to a school that specialized in ensuring that boys made it in to the British service.

Amundsen was a Norwegian-born boy with little interest in school and a spirit for exploration. The famed explorer spent the first years of his life living in the wilderness outside Christiania (modern-day Oslo) and running around with his wild batch of brothers. Encouraged by his mother to succeed in school, he spent the formative years of his life engaged in studies.

This summer, National Geographic Museum will host two exhibitions featuring exciting moments in world history. Through photographs, paintings and rare artifacts, “Race to the End of the Earth,” open from May 25 to Aug 21, 2011, recounts the challenges of two explorers during their race to reach the South Pole 100 years ago. “The Etruscans: An Ancient Italian Civilization,” open from June 10 to Sept. 25, 2011, showcases this influential ancient society through more than 450 original artifacts. Both exhibitions will be in National Geographic Museum’s 17th Street building. Paid admission is required to enter the 17th Street galleries. Embarking on a 1,800-mile journey through Antarctica in 1911, explorers Roald Amundsen of Norway and Robert Falcon Scott of Britain each set off from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf in an attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. “Race to the End of the Earth” tells the stirring tale of both men and their teams as they experienced the extreme challenges of an Antarctic expedition, from the limits of human endurance to the risks posed by the region’s extreme weather conditions. The exhibition re-creates the story of their dangerous polar journey through dioramas, wildlife footage, photographs, paintings and rare historical artifacts, including clothing and equipment used by the teams. Interactive activities allow visitors to learn how to use a compass in Antarctic conditions or test sled runners on different ice textures. The exhibition also highlights how these expeditions paved the way for modern polar research in fields from geology to astrophysics. “Race to the End of the Earth” is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, in collaboration with Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France, and Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Generous support has also been provided by the government of the United Kingdom and the National Science Foundation. National Geographic Live will host three events in conjunction with the “Race to the End of the Earth” exhibition. On Monday, June 13, exhibit curator and research scientist Ross MacPhee will give a lecture on the significance of the race. A family film day will take place on Sunday, June 18 featuring films about Scott and Amundsen. Finally, polar explorer Christian Eide will host an illustrated talk on the exhibition on Wednesday, July 6. For more information, including ticketing, please visit www.nglive.com. The museum has partnered with the D.C. Public Library for a “Race to the End of the Earth” activity that will kick off its Summer Reading Program, “One World, Many Stories,” at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Wednesday, June 1. Dominating the Italian peninsula from the ninth century B.C. through the sixth century B.C., well before the advent of the Roman Republic, the Etruscans left a legacy of captivating accomplishments. “The Etruscans: An Ancient Italian Civilization” highlights the beliefs, scientific achievements and artistic mastery of the Etruscan people through more than 450 rare artifacts, including funerary items, tools, weapons, domestic implements and sculptures. These objects, found in archaeological sites throughout Tuscany and neighboring provinces, are a testament to the influence of this ancient society. Rare artifacts on loan from the Museo Acheologico Nazionale in Florence and Collezione Cambi, Chiusi, include a three-foot-high alabaster urn from fourth-century Perugia; a late second-century terracotta sarcophagus; a seventh-century carriage from the Tomb of Carriages at the Necropolis of San Carbone, Populina; a fourth-century gold diadem and much more. “The Etruscans” exhibition is organized by Contemporanea Progetti, Italy, in cooperation with Exhibits Development Group, USA. Guided family tours of “Race to the End of the Earth” will take place every Monday at 11 a.m.; guided tours of “The Etruscans” will take place every Wednesday at 11 a.m. In conjunction with “Race to the End of the Earth,” free family workshops will be held on Sunday, June 26; Sunday, July 31; and Sunday, Aug. 21, at 1 p.m. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed Dec. 25. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for National Geographic members, military, students, seniors and groups of 25 or more; $4 for children 5-12; and free ( reservation required ) for school, student and youth groups ( 18 and under ). Tickets may be purchased online at www.ngmuseum.org; via telephone at ( 202 ) 857-7700; or in person at the National Geographic ticket office, 1600 M Street, N.W., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information on group sales, call ( 202 ) 857-7281 or email groupsales@ngs.org. Photography exhibitions in the museum’s M Street gallery and outdoors are free. For information on the “Race to the End of the Earth” and “The Etruscans” exhibitions, the public should call ( 202 ) 857-7588 or visit www.ngmuseum.org.

Waves of lava lap over the rim of Nyiragongo Crater.

“When I photograph extreme environments – the volcano, the tornado, the glacier – each is entirely different, but they have one thing in common: You are in a situation with an uncertain outcome.” Carsten Peter

The Earth is a shape-shifter, its basic elements in constant motion. New forms arise from the violence of volcanoes, the steady drip of subterranean stalactites, or the movement of glacial ice. Photographer and adventurer Carsten Peter seeks out these changing environments, the unpredictable extremes of spewing lava or deep, unexplored caves. His photographs capture vivid images of fleeting moments or forms shaped over centuries.

A native of Germany, Carsten Peter began shooting nature’s extremes at age 17 on the crater rim of Stromboli, an active volcano north of Sicily. He has since traveled to some of the most beautiful, dangerous, and inhospitable places in the world. To photograph and survive he depends on his wits and technical skills as a climber, paraglider, caver, and diver. He has braved toxic caverns and rappelled into active volcanoes with turbulent lava lakes. During more than three decades of taking photographs he has been a regular contributor to National Geographic, earned a World Press Photo award for tornado coverage, and an Emmy for videography from inside an active volcano.

Massive beams of selenite dwarf explorers in the Cave of Crystals.

“When I photograph extreme environments – the volcano, the tornado, the glacier – each is entirely different, but they have one thing in common: You are in a situation with an uncertain outcome.” Carsten Peter

The Earth is a shape-shifter, its basic elements in constant motion. New forms arise from the violence of volcanoes, the steady drip of subterranean stalactites, or the movement of glacial ice. Photographer and adventurer Carsten Peter seeks out these changing environments, the unpredictable extremes of spewing lava or deep, unexplored caves. His photographs capture vivid images of fleeting moments or forms shaped over centuries.

A native of Germany, Carsten Peter began shooting nature’s extremes at age 17 on the crater rim of Stromboli, an active volcano north of Sicily. He has since traveled to some of the most beautiful, dangerous, and inhospitable places in the world. To photograph and survive he depends on his wits and technical skills as a climber, paraglider, caver, and diver. He has braved toxic caverns and rappelled into active volcanoes with turbulent lava lakes. During more than three decades of taking photographs he has been a regular contributor to National Geographic, earned a World Press Photo award for tornado coverage, and an Emmy for videography from inside an active volcano.

Formation: The Earth in Motion, Photography by Carsten Peter

“When I photograph extreme environments – the volcano, the tornado, the glacier – each is entirely different, but they have one thing in common: You are in a situation with an uncertain outcome.” Carsten Peter

The Earth is a shape-shifter, its basic elements in constant motion. New forms arise from the violence of volcanoes, the steady drip of subterranean stalactites, or the movement of glacial ice. Photographer and adventurer Carsten Peter seeks out these changing environments, the unpredictable extremes of spewing lava or deep, unexplored caves. His photographs capture vivid images of fleeting moments or forms shaped over centuries.

A native of Germany, Carsten Peter began shooting nature’s extremes at age 17 on the crater rim of Stromboli, an active volcano north of Sicily. He has since traveled to some of the most beautiful, dangerous, and inhospitable places in the world. To photograph and survive he depends on his wits and technical skills as a climber, paraglider, caver, and diver. He has braved toxic caverns and rappelled into active volcanoes with turbulent lava lakes. During more than three decades of taking photographs he has been a regular contributor to National Geographic, earned a World Press Photo award for tornado coverage, and an Emmy for videography from inside an active volcano.

A member of the expedition walks on Nyiragongo's cooled lava floor.

“When I photograph extreme environments – the volcano, the tornado, the glacier – each is entirely different, but they have one thing in common: You are in a situation with an uncertain outcome.” Carsten Peter

The Earth is a shape-shifter, its basic elements in constant motion. New forms arise from the violence of volcanoes, the steady drip of subterranean stalactites, or the movement of glacial ice. Photographer and adventurer Carsten Peter seeks out these changing environments, the unpredictable extremes of spewing lava or deep, unexplored caves. His photographs capture vivid images of fleeting moments or forms shaped over centuries.

A native of Germany, Carsten Peter began shooting nature’s extremes at age 17 on the crater rim of Stromboli, an active volcano north of Sicily. He has since traveled to some of the most beautiful, dangerous, and inhospitable places in the world. To photograph and survive he depends on his wits and technical skills as a climber, paraglider, caver, and diver. He has braved toxic caverns and rappelled into active volcanoes with turbulent lava lakes. During more than three decades of taking photographs he has been a regular contributor to National Geographic, earned a World Press Photo award for tornado coverage, and an Emmy for videography from inside an active volcano.