South Georgia Museum facts for kids
South Georgia Museum, Grytviken
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| Established | 1991 |
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| Location | Grytviken, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Founder | Nigel Bonner |
The South Georgia Museum is a special place located in Grytviken. This town is part of the UK overseas territory called South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Famous explorers like Ernest Shackleton and Frank Wild are buried in Grytviken's graveyard. The museum was started in 1991 by a person named Nigel Bonner.
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History of the Museum Building
The museum is inside a building known as "the Villa." It was built in 1914. This building was once the home for the manager of the Grytviken whaling station and his family. They lived there until the station closed down in 1964.
After the whaling station closed, the building was left empty. It suffered damage from bad weather and even from people who vandalized it. Many years later, a scientist named David Wynn-Williams suggested it become a museum. Nigel Bonner, an expert in Antarctic animals, led a small team. They received money from the South Georgia Government. Their job was to clean up the old whaling station and fix "the Villa." They wanted to make it ready to be a museum. Bonner hoped the museum would make visitors think about the whaling industry. He also wanted them to consider how we manage natural resources.
What You Can See at the Museum
The South Georgia Museum first opened in 1992. It started as a museum mainly about whaling. Over time, it grew to include many other topics. Now, it shows exhibits about the island's discovery. You can also learn about the sealing industry and whaling. The museum covers maritime history (history of the sea) and natural history. It even has displays about the 1982 Falklands War.
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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 10,000 tourists visited the museum each year. Most of these visitors came from cruise ships and yachts. The museum has a bronze statue of Duncan Carse. He was important for mapping South Georgia. A mountain on the island, Mount Carse, is named after him. There is also a room named the Bonner Room. This room honors Nigel Bonner for creating the museum. Another room, the Jarvis Room, is named after Russell Jarvis. He supported the museum greatly when he was Deputy Governor of the Falkland Islands.
How the Museum is Managed
For several years, Tim and Pauline Carr were the museum's curators. They lived on their yacht, Curlew, which was docked in Grytviken. Today, the museum is run by the South Georgia Heritage Trust. Three staff members work there. They are the only people who live in Grytviken who are not permanent residents. You can also see some of the museum's collection online.
The museum sometimes supports an artist-in-residence program. This means an artist can live and work at the museum for a period. One past artist was the British sculptor Anthony Smith. In November 2017, he brought a life-sized bronze statue of Sir Ernest Shackleton to the museum. This statue is now always on display there. The museum reopened its doors in December 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Georgia del Sur para niños
- History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Norwegian Lutheran Church (Grytviken, South Georgia)
