Antarctica’s historic huts
Discovery, science and heritage
Antarctica has long been a location of intrigue and adventure – even before humans were sure it actually existed. People predicted the location of a vast southern continent to ‘balance’ the Arctic land mass.
Scott’s Terra Nova hut
Built for Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s British Antarctic (Terra Nova) Expedition in 1911, this hut is the largest of the historic bases in the Ross Sea area. The hut underwent a seven-year restoration to conserve it and the more than 11,000 artifacts inside it.
Legends say Polynesian navigator Ui-te-Rangiora led a fleet of waka into the Southern Ocean in the 7th century, and sealing and naval expeditions sighted Antarctica in the 1800s. By the end of that century, the icy continent had become the focus of international scientific and geographic exploration.
Nature of science
Science has both social and cultural influences. In 1895, the International Geographical Congress called upon scientific societies throughout the western world to promote – and fund – Antarctic exploration.
Establishing bases
Five expedition parties built bases in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica, beginning with the British Antarctic Expedition of Cape Adare in 1899, followed by Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery (1901–1904) and Terra Nova (1910–1913) expeditions, Ernest Shackleton’s 1907–1909 Expedition to Cape Royds and finally the original Scott Base for the 1955–1958 Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
Artefacts at Scott’s Discovery Hut
Discovery Hut was established in 1902 to store and repair equipment while Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his party lived aboard the Discovery ship, which was moored beside the hut. Later expeditions used the hut for shelter or as a refuge.
The hut and more than 500 artefacts inside it – including century-old tins of baking powder – underwent conservation during 2014–2015.
From the very beginning, these expeditions were as much about science as they were about adventure and fascination with the unknown. Huts were built to house people, supplies, animals and scientific equipment, including the latest technology of the day. By the time Robert Scott made his second trip to Antarctica in 1910, his equipment included tractors, photographic supplies, telephones and a gramophone to play music for times of relaxation.
The hut is becoming the most comfortable dwelling-place imaginable. We have made ourselves a truly seductive home, within the walls of which peace, quiet and comfort remains supreme.
The huts and much of equipment and provisions were left behind when the expedition parties sailed from Antarctica. When the Terra Nova crew left in 1913, it was noted: “We have left at Cape Evans an outfit and stores that would see a dozen resourceful men through one summer and winter at least.”
Care and restoration of the huts
New Zealanders first became involved in hut restoration during the Trans-Antarctic Expedition during 1956–1958. They removed ice and snow and cleaned up the huts when time allowed.
Conserving Antarctic artefacts
Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton were early 20th century explorers. Conservators with the Antarctic Heritage Trust look after their wooden huts and the artefacts that were left behind.
Select here to view video transcript, questions for discussion and copyright information.
Volunteers and staff from Scott Base began formal restoration work in 1960. Eventually, the Antarctic Heritage Trust was established with multiyear, multimillion dollar programmes to conserve the huts and their extensive artefact collections.
Engineers, microbiologists and chemists work to make the huts weathertight, remove rust and study the bacteria and native fungi that cause decay. Conservators like Conor Tulock are working with the 8,500 artefacts left from what is known as the heroic era of Antarctic exploration. Conservators also look after a piece of more recent history – Scott Base’s remaining original building, Hut A, better known as Hillary’s Hut.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Hillary’s Hut
Sir Ed Hillary stands outside of the TAE Hut in 2004. This small building held Sir Ed’s office during the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
Built in 1957, the building affectionally known as Hillary’s Hut, was restored during 2016–2017 to mark the 60th anniversary of Scott Base.
Conservators also look after a piece of more recent history – Scott Base’s remaining original building: A Hut or the TAE Hut (Trans-Antarctic Expedition Hut) but better known as Hillary’s Hut. It was the first building constructed when Scott Base was established in 1957. The building held the mess room, galley (kitchen), radio room and Sir Edmund Hillary’s office. Like the older huts, it has been restored by the Antarctic Heritage Trust as a living museum.
Related content and activity ideas
Antarctica continues to be a drawcard for adventure and science.
It’s just over 200 years since people first set foot on Antarctica. Explore this timeline, Antarctica: early discoveries and significant events – timeline, to see some key dates in the early discoveries of this icy continent.
Preservation of historic huts and artefacts is one of five themes that feature in Using On Thin Ice: Nigel Latta in Antarctica in the classroom. The planning resource connects Hub resources with excerpts from Nigel Latta’s documentary series.
Saving the historic huts highlights the long-term efforts to conserve the heritage huts and their contents. Data fans and number crunchers will enjoy this PDF set of science data from the team working to save historic huts. Challenge your students to explain the relationship between temperature and relative humidity, indoors and out.
The Antarctic Heritage Trust is working to make the old buildings weathertight. Dampness is an issue whether in our homes or in historic huts. Discover why in the article Damp homes and health risks. Then explore the role of moisture in the activity Investigating dampness and mould growth.
Useful links
Fascinating stories about the five explorers’ bases and the people who established them are found on the Antarctic Heritage Trust website.
New Zealand and Antarctica share a long and rich history. Find out more with the New Zealand history website.
Wikipedia details the heroic age of Antarctic exploration.
On-going funding is needed to restore and protect Hillary’s Hut. This Radio New Zealand report explains restoration issues and has audio of Sir Edmund Hillary discussing his Antarctic adventures.
Read about the extreme conservation work required to preserve these huts in this ArchitectureNow article.
Read this 2024 paper Sustainable Conservation Solutions in a Hostile Environment: The Historic Huts of Antarctica from the Studies in Conservation journal. It highlights the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s major conservation programme, the Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project (RSHRP) to conserve and protect the four surviving Ross Sea huts of the Heroic Era (1898–1917).
In the documentary series On Thin Ice: Nigel Latta in Antarctica, Nigel Latta goes inside the old huts and talks to curators about their work:
Watch Series 1/Episode 1
https://adam.antarcticanz.govt.nz/nodes/view/44058
Scott’s Terra Nova base (video timecode 37:15–42:30)
Watch Series 1/Episode 2
https://adam.antarcticanz.govt.nz/nodes/view/44059
Scott’s Discovery base (video timecode 9:10–13:10)
Scott Base’s original Hut A (video timecode 13:10–15:20)
