5 Famous Antarctic Explorers You Need to Know

As the last unexplored continent, Antarctica represents the final frontier for explorers. The advancements in navigation, shipbuilding, and survival techniques allowed nations to sponsor expeditions aimed at scientific discovery and territorial claims. The challenges were immense: sub-zero temperatures, treacherous seas, and the ever-present threat of isolation and death. Yet, these obstacles only fueled the determination of those eager to leave their mark on history. The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a remarkable period in human history known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. This era was characterized by daring expeditions into the unknown, driven by a thirst for knowledge, national pride, and the spirit of adventure.

Originally from “Resultats du Voyage du S. Y. BELGICA en 1897-1898-1899 – Rapports Scientifiques – Travaux Hydrographiques et Instructions Nautiques” by G. Lecointe, 1903. P. 110. Plate XI., Public domain

While many famous Antarctic explorers made history and contributed to the human knowledge of Antarctica, we’re highlighting five key figures in the early Antarctica exploration era who made an especially profound impact on how we travel to Antarctica today.

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
Known for his expeditions to Antarctica, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was an early explorer and one of the White Continent’s heroes during a time dubbed the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Shackleton’s Antarctic adventures began in 1901 and include one of his boldest adventures: the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, where he and his crew attempted to cross the Antarctic continent, from sea to sea, cutting through the South Pole. They were derailed when their ship, Endurance, was trapped in a pack of ice. After the failed expedition, Shackleton continued his explorations in Antarctica until he died in 1922. Shackleton’s 1907-1909 Nimrod Expedition made crucial contributions to mapping unknown regions of Antarctica, including the Beardmore Glacier. They collected valuable data on geomagnetic conditions, helping to enhance understanding of Earth’s magnetic field.

De George Charles Beresford/ Adam Cuerden – Biblioteca Nacional de Noruega, Public domain

De Royal Geographical Society, Public Domain.

De Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922) – Archive of Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Public Domain.

Roald Amundsen
Born in 1872, Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian polar explorer. Though his polar adventures first began in 1897, he’s most famous for one expedition in particular: While aboard the Fram (meaning forward in Norwegian), Amundsen and his crew were the first
to the South Pole on December 14, 1911, beating out Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his team. Roald Amundsen has many sites in both Polar Regions named after him in honor of his discoveries and expeditions, including the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, the Amundsen Coast, the Amundsen Glacier, the Amundsen Sea, and several more are all in Antarctica. Amundsen’s team meticulously documented meteorological data on their way to the South Pole. This data, although limited compared to modern standards, was critical for understanding Antarctic weather patterns.

De Anónimo – Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8888909

De Adrien de Gerlache – Adrien de Gerlache (1902), Quinze mois en Antarctique, p171, Public Domain.

De Olav Bjaaland (1873–1961) – Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation: De Aarde en haar Volken. Public Domain

Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, a British Royal Navy officer, was born in Devon, England, in 1868. He is best known for his two Antarctic expeditions: the first was the Discovery Expedition, which took place from 1901-1904; the second was the Terra Nova Expedition, from 1910-1913. Scott’s primary purpose for his second expedition, the Terra Nova Expedition, was to reach the South Pole. On January 17, 1912, Scott arrived at the South Pole with his team of five men. Beginning on January 19, 1912, they began their 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) trek back to the ship when a blizzard struck. Scott’s final entry in his journal was dated March 29, and he is assumed to have passed that day or the next. The 1910-1913 Terra Nova Expedition, while tragic, made significant scientific contributions. Scott’s team gathered a large number of geological specimens, including fossils of the Glossopteris tree, which provided evidence that Antarctica was once part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana.

De Herbert Ponting (1870-1935) – Alexander Turnbull National Library, New Zealand, Public Domain.

De Herbert Ponting (1870-1935) – Scott Polar Research Institute Cambridge. Public Domain.

De R. F. Scott – Scott’s Last Expedition, Public Domain.

Sir Edmund Hillary
Best known for being the first to summit Mount Everest along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmund Hillary, born in 1919 in Auckland, New Zealand, also set noteworthy records in Antarctica. As part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Hillary and the team reached the South Pole on January 4, 1958. This achievement marked the first successful group to arrive at the South Pole since Amundsen in 1911 and Scott in 1912. However, Hillary and his team were the first to reach the Pole using motor vehicles. Another first for Hillary.
Sir Edmund Hillary also helped establish Scott Base, which became a key research station. This set the stage for long-term scientific research in the Ross Dependency area.

Photographer unidentified. Retouched by TimofKingsland. – Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972. Public Domain

Shirase Nobu
Born in Konoura, Akita, Japan, in July 1861, Shirase Nobu led the first Japanese expedition to Antarctica from December 1910 to June 1912. Nobu was originally interested in exploring the Arctic; however, in 1909, he changed his plans to conquer the Antarctic at the same time as Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton. Although he was too late to attempt to be the first man at the South Pole, Nobu, and his team were the first to make landfall on the Edward VII Peninsula. They explored the coastal area and the eastern part of the Ross Ice Shelf and reached a latitude of 80°05’S.

De published by 潮出版社 – The Japanese book 『明治の夢工房』, Public Domain

The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration was more than planting flags and seeking glory: it was a period of substantial scientific advancement. Early explorers laid the groundwork for modern Antarctic science and continue to inspire today’s Antarctic travelers.