The new exhibition ‘To Antarctica. The polar pioneers of the Belgica‘ at Antwerp‘s MAS museum opens today. 125 years ago, the Belgica expedition members left Antwerp for the last blind spot on the world map: Antarctica. 

They got stuck in the polar ice and wrote history. The exhibition teaches us how the men managed to survive, who followed in their footsteps, and what things are like in Antarctica today.

Pioneers

No one ever did it to them. The young, international crew of the Belgica sailed so far to Antarctica that they became stuck in the ice. They had to survive in the icy cold for a year. 

They became ill due to poor nutrition and had extra mental difficulties during the long polar nights without daylight. They determinedly continued to conduct groundbreaking scientific research: they put new areas on the map with Belgian-sounding names and collected unknown fauna and flora.

To free themselves, the expedition members did the impossible: with great perseverance they sawed a way through the ice to free their ship. Just before a second Arctic winter began, the Belgica set sail back to Belgium.

Authentic pieces

The exhibition at the MAS brings this adventurous journey back to life after 125 years in the city where it began. Visitors get to know the crew personally through beautiful photos, drawings and diaries. 

In addition, the Museum Aan de Stroom or Museum At the Stream also has some authentic pieces in its collection, such as the ship’s steering wheel and crow’s nest, sleds and clothing, and the ice saws with which the ship is freed from the ice. 

The organ, on which the ‘Brabançonne‘ plays again and again during the dark days on board, has also been preserved.

Antarctica today

Antarctica remains a breathtaking place. This is palpable in the last room of the exhibition, where impressive contemporary video images make visitors reflect on the Antarctic region today. 

In this topical part of the exhibition, which was created in collaboration with the International Polar Foundation, they will learn everything about the important role that Antarctica plays in the dynamics of current climate change and about the wide range of natural phenomena that scientists are experiencing there today. to research. 

This is done, among other things, from the Princess Elisabeth Base, the Belgian research station in Antarctica.

Art in the exhibition

The Dutch artist Esther Kokmeijer invites the visitor to reflect on the area throughout the exhibition. In her work ‘Terra Nullius‘ she draws attention to the geopolitical protected status of Antarctica. 

As a statement to keep Antarctica pristine, she used correction tape to obscure all details on almost 50 maps of the continent. With this installation she talks about the relationship between man and politics towards this piece of untouched nature.

Practical

 ‘To Antarctica. The polar pioneers of the Belgica’. From 21 June to 3 November 2024 on the 3rd floor of the MAS.

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