Scott Polar Research Institute (Polar Museum)

This is a very pleasing and interesting museum situated in the heart of Cambridge. The museum details information about the Polar Regions both Arctic and Antarctic, the people that live there and their cultures, Polar Exploration and the animals and their habitats in a very informative and fascinating way. As you walk into the museum you can read some interesting facts about the Origins of the Arctic and Antarctica how they formed and their geographical features and also in the entrance way you can see some spectacular ceiling maps of Artic and Antarctic regions and these maps are excellently displayed. The museum houses some wonderful Inuit art figures and there are other interesting items to see such as the clothing the Sami (a tribe of the Inuit people) wear, Inuit hunting equipment, Clothing Polar Explorers and the items such as Compasses and Cameras, the Food the Polar Explorers used and Stuffed Emperor Penguins all of which are brilliantly laid out and displayed. There is information about Polar Exploration from the start centuries ago through to the Modern day detailing how they did it and their struggles and the information is very intriguing and informative giving you an idea of the heroic efforts made by the Explorers to make the necessary discoveries they needed and wanted to achieve. There is a very fascinating display about Arctic Cultures and the religions as well more informative and interesting information about their way of life how they hunt and lived etc giving a interesting and great insight into how they live and survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. There is a small and thought provoking exhibition about climate change in the Polar Regions and how they are affected by Climate Change and the effects of Climate Change from Polar Regions in other areas of the world highlighting the need of why we need to act fast in the fight against Climate Change in the present and future. Visitors can get access to an audio guide giving you a little more information about the exhibitions for a small fee, which is reasonable considering the museum is free entry. There is a small gift shop with a range of great souvenirs at reasonable prices. Overall this is a fabulous and wonderful museum that charters a very beautiful area of the planet and is also very educational for adults and children alike and empowers us to act on the Climate crisis. Definitely well worth a visit whilst in Cambridge.