Polar Pathways: Robert E. Peary's Arctic Expeditions

 

Arctic exploration has a storied history.Accounts of adventures in the far north recall daring, determination, and a constant struggle against the forces of nature.Arctic explorers, often considered heroes, have captured the imagination of the public for years. In the minds of many Arctic enthusiasts, one adventurer in particular stands out as the legendary discoverer of the North Pole. There are many different, oftentimes conflicting, opinions of Robert E. Peary and his accomplishments. However, regardless of a person’s sentiment about the adventurer, he is certainly an important figure in the history of Arctic exploration.

Luckily for those interested in the Arctic, Robert E. Peary and his team members penned many accounts of their arctic travels. Still vivid today, these narratives offer not only practical information, but also inspiring human warmth.  These stories, still widely read, continue to resonate with people today. Accordingly, this exhibit uses first-person accounts to narrate Peary’s various expeditions. Images from his travels and the travels of later explorers supplement the text.

Enjoy a visit to the past narrated by those who lived it.

Navigating the Maps and Expeditions:

In this exhibit, you can travel through nine of Peary's expeditions, learning about different locations, people, and animals that the team encountered. In the upper-lefthand corner of every screen a navigation bar guides you through different parts of the exhibit. Click "Home" to return to this page. Click "Maps" to return to the page listing the expeditions. Click "Bibliography" to learn more about the resources that went into this exhibit."Robert E. Peary" to learn more about the explorer. Finally, click

The maps, taken from Google Earth and then edited in Photoshop, show the routes of Peary’s many expeditions to northern G reenland. Click on the maps window, in the upper left-hand corner of the screen, or click the link below; both will take you to the Maps Page. On that page, click on the image of a map to learn more about that expedition. Once you have chosen an expedition click the « Back and Forward » buttons, located at the bottom of the screen, to move through the expedition. Click on the Home Map button at the bottom of everything to go back to the start of the expedition. On some screens you can click on blue text that will take you to more information about the expedition. If you're confused about how to navigate through an expedition, click on the tutorial button below.

Go to the Maps »

Go to the Tutorial »

Photo: "Robert E. Peary at Sydney, N.S. on return from 1908-09 expedition" by Sears
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum Collections

Acknowledgements