Scott Polar Research Institute

The Scott Polar Research Institute stands in Cambridge on Lensfield Road. It is part of the University of Cambridge and was founded in 1920 by Frank Debenham. The institute serves as a memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his companions who died returning from the South Pole in 1912. It brings together researchers from environmental sciences, social sciences and humanities. The institute employs around sixty people including academics, librarians and support staff. It also hosts the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. The institute is worth visiting for its Polar Museum and library. The museum displays objects, artworks and documents from polar history and exploration. It includes relics from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration such as Captain Scott’s last letters. The library holds the world’s most comprehensive polar collection with archives dating back to the 1920s. Researchers use it for studies on ice, snow and polar environments. The building itself features globe-themed ceilings and small gardens with polar sculptures. Visitors find permanent exhibits on Arctic art, the search for the Northwest Passage and modern polar research. The museum also hosts special exhibitions throughout the year. The library offers reference access to anyone with a polar interest. The institute’s research groups study glaciers, climate change and polar social sciences. Their work has helped track melting ice shelves and changing Arctic vegetation. The building’s design reflects its purpose with polar-themed art and artefacts.