The "museum at the edge of the world" reopens in a ghost town, above the Antarctic Circle

After a period of forced closure due to the pandemic, the South Georgia Museum, the museum at the edge of the world, has reopened its doors

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After a period of forced closure due to the pandemic, the South Georgia Museum has reopened its doors, the museum at the edge of the world, in a ghost town populated by penguins and seals

La South Georgia it is an almost completely uninhabited land. In total there are around 20 permanent residents - including scientists and maintenance personnel - in the British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. Yet, in this very cold and remote place, populated by seals and penguins, the South Georgia Museum, renamed with the name of "museum at the edge of the world". Because indeed it is, given that the island is located just above the Antarctic Circle. After a stop caused by the Covid pandemic, the managers of the facility have decided not to give up on the challenge.

The idea of the museum was born in 1989 during a cleaning operation of the old whaling station of Grytviken, where there were boats, equipment and also accommodation for those engaged in whaling and the production of whale oil used in the past for the 'lighting. It is in this ghost town that the South Georgia Museum has been set up.

Posted by South Georgia Heritage Trust on Monday, January 17, 2022

Of course, it is not easy to manage a museum in an area where temperatures are freezing and where tourists hardly go. The South Georgia Heritage Trust, which manages the facility, is headquartered in Dundee, Scotland and has full-time staff, but occasionally recruits seasonal workers to send or interns to send to the museum at the edge of the world.

We have had staff from Europe, Australia, from all parts of the world - says Sarah Lurcock, director of the South Georgia Heritage Trust, who despite the difficulties firmly believes in the project - Very often they are people who have experience of working in one place remote with a small team.

What the South Georgia Museum holds

But what can you admire at the “museum at the edge of the world”? Virtually everything and more. South Georgia Museum was originally intended as a museum dedicated to the whaling tradition, but has been set up differently over the past 20 years. The structure, divided into about 10 rooms, contains everything that represents the cultural and natural heritage of the island. Inside there are archaeological and geological finds, military relics, ancient boats, almanacs and maps.

This is a postcard from my grandfather’s (we called him Bestefar) collection. He wintered over on South Georgia as a…

Posted by South Georgia Heritage Trust on Tuesday, November 23, 2021

The museum also has a section dedicated to natural history, which also houses finds of cetaceans and birds such as howler albatrosses (currently living bird with a wider wingspan).

Posted by South Georgia Heritage Trust on Friday, October 1, 2021

Posted by South Georgia Heritage Trust on Sunday, December 12, 2021

South Georgia is a British overseas territory and is a jewel in terms of wildlife, says Alison Neil, managing director of the Heritage Trust. - It has the largest concentration of seabirds on Earth. Whale populations are recovering. Native birds are recovering thanks to the work we have done to eradicate rats and mice.

Five Kings. This was one of the rare times a group of Kings remained rather still for just a few seconds enabling the…

Posted by South Georgia Heritage Trust on Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Visiting the museum therefore means immersing yourself in the natural and cultural wealth of this territory unknown to most.

We have an obligation to educate people about South Georgia's past history, which was unsustainable for nature - adds Neil - If humanity can change its attitude and start protecting nature instead of exploiting it, then amazing things can happen. South Georgia is a small microcosm that shows that defending nature, instead of exploiting it, is also possible for the rest of the world.

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, around 10 thousand tourists came to visit the museum and the rest of the island every year. But now, due to the collapse of tourism, everything is more complicated.

To make available to all the treasures kept in the museum at the edge of the world, the staff decided to enrich the South Georgia Museum website with images, information and stories. And those who cannot physically go to South Georgia can opt for a fascinating virtual tour!

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Source: South Georgia Museum