One hundred years ago, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and British Royal Navy Captain Robert Falcon Scott competed to be the first to reach the South Pole. Take a journey with their expedition teams as they face Antarctica’s extreme weather conditions, the risk of starvation, frostbite, the hazards of getting lost, and the limits of human endurance. Examine photographs, historical artifacts, vivid dioramas, and interactive exhibits to discover how Amundsen and Scott prepared for their polar journeys and how they met, or were defeated by, the numerous hurdles they faced.

”Race to the End of the Earth” is partly a presentation of a true-life adventure story and partly a display of classic and modern methods of polar travel, science, and technology. But overall it is a celebration of what motivates us as humans to go out to explore and understand our world,” explains lead curator Ross MacPhee of New York’s American Museum of Natural History.

Learn more about Scott and Amundsen’s historic race on the official exhibition website.

Family Activities
Challenge Antarctica: A Family Workshop on June 26, July 31, and August 21 at 1pm

In partnership with DC Public Library, National Geographic will offer this workshop on July 28 at 1:30pm at the Deanwood Library, and August 9 at 1:30pm at the Palisades Library).

Guided tours at 11 am every Monday

Download Educator Activities

This exhibition is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France, and the Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Nationally generous support has been provided by the Government of the United Kingdom and the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ANT 0636639. Local support has been provided by Amtrak