Ice Station Antarctica

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and most remote continent on this planet. While beautiful it is also terrifying - there is no doubt it takes a brave and tough person to live and work out here.

In this immersive exhibition experience, visitors enlist as ice cadets and brave a variety of Antarctic challenges.

Throughout these challenges, visitors learn more about Antarctica, the animals that live there and the scientific research taking place.

From coping in sub-zero temperatures to riding a snowmobile, ice cadets explore the skills it takes to work in and preserve this frozen wilderness. A series of mini environments help them learn about and explore this unique continent.

Challenge your visitors to survive the conditions scientists face when researching in Antarctica.

Every year hundreds of scientists and support staff travel to Antarctica, braving harsh conditions and freezing temperatures in order to do crucial science. It's a tough job and we need to find the best people to go. At Ice Station Antarctica we'll see if your visitors have got what it takes to go to Antarctica.

Exhibition details

The digital trail

We can offer an optional interactive digital trail and interactive website as part of the exhibition.

At various points throughout the exhibition, by swiping a barcode on their ticket, visitors can see if they're up for the Antarctic challenge. In the final section they find out just how well they're adapting to the harsh life down South, and what role they are best suited for.

Website

If you wish, you can invite visitors to extend their Antarctica experience online to continue the challenge.

Ice Station Antartica - the online challenge

After graduating as cadets in your gallery, visitors can try out the skills learnt as Ice Cadets on an interactive website.

A series of tasks on the website set out by the Ice Station Commander takes the experience further than traditional gallery exhibitions alone.

For more information about the exhibition, download the Ice Station Antarctica information pack (PDF).

Specifications

Follow this guide for basic information on host venue requirements.

The host venue’s responsibilities include:

an indoor display area of minimum 450m2
minimum doorway access: height 2.2m and width 1.7m
minimum 3.5 metre ceiling height for assembly and display
controlled environment between 18°C – 25°C
transport costs from previous venue in 6 – 8 (exact number tbc) 13.5m tilt trailers
air compressor and pipes
hire of a chiller unit for the freezer room
translation and production of text, text panels and graphics
skilled installation and dismantling support staff
forklift, crane, hoist and other equipment required for access

Image gallery

Take a tour of the eight zones in the Ice Station Antarctica exhibition and see if you think your visitors would be up to the challenge.

Antarctica is one of the coldest places on Earth to endure.

You'll be plunged into a freezer room set to -10 degrees Celsius.

Try on some real Antarctic clothing and see what you need to keep yourself alive. There will be Antarctic outfits from a Swedish expedition leader and an American meteorite hunter.

In the next zone you’ll experience the noise and smell of working in animal colonies in Antarctica.

The key challenge will be for you to examine some penguin vomit.

Inside the vomit you'll find bits of fish, squid and krill. You'll also get to see one of the largest flying birds: the albatross. You'll hear from scientists that work with these beautiful birds and find out why they're threatened by fishing.

Play a game about the challenges of diving in Antarctic waters

It's the depth of winter and the sea has frozen over. It's time to check on those clams living just off the coast - what do you do?

The answer is to wear a two centimetre thick layer of rubber and chainsaw a hole in the ice.

In this zone, you'll play a game about the challenges of diving in Antarctic waters.
But like the divers who do it for real, you'll get the reward of seeing some gigantic and unusual creatures.

In this zone you play our snowmobile game to collect meteorites.

Hold on tight as you race along on your snowmobile.

But there are pitfalls in Antarctica; wind scoops and chasms waiting to swallow you up. We have a real snowmobile to show you and some rock specimens from Antarctica.

Find out about the weather and climate of Antarctica

Enter our campsite mock-up where you can see what it's like to camp at sub-zero temperatures.

How do you got keep alive during a storm, and how on Earth will you go to the toilet in a blizzard?

Dotted around are boxes containing food, camping equipment and scientific instruments. You'll find out more about the weather and climate of Antarctica.

Enter our campsite mock-up where you can see what it's like to camp at sub-zero temperatures.

How do you got keep alive during a storm, and how on Earth will you go to the toilet in a blizzard?

Dotted around are boxes containing food, camping equipment and scientific instruments. You'll find out more about the weather and climate of Antarctica.

Finally we assess your results and determine which job you'd be able to do in Antarctica.

Perhaps you'll be a good geologist, able to navigate through crevasse fields to collect precious rock samples, perhaps you can survive harsh conditions and be a diver on the Peninsula, or maybe its all been too much and you'd prefer to stay at home, but maybe, just maybe you have all the right skills to become a Station Commander yourself... time to pack your bags.