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About the Museum

About the Museum

Historical information on the building and the grounds

The Scott Polar Research Institute moved into its present building, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, in 1934,

The Latin inscription along the northern architrave of the buildingFront facade of the Scot Polar Research Institute

- QUAESIVIT ARCANA POLI VIDET DEI -

may be translated as

He sought the secret of the pole
but found the hidden face of God

'Youth' by Kathleen Scott (SPRI Museum Z: 315) Photo: Sir Cam

The statue in the garden was cast by Lady Kathleen Scott (Captain Scott's widow) around 1922. (The model was A.W. Lawrence, younger brother of Lawrence of Arabia and later Cambridge Professor of Classical Archaeology.) It was presented to the Institute for the opening of the 1934 building.

The Latin inscription on its pedestal - LUX PERPETUA LUCEAT EIS - may be rendered as MAY ETERNAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.


The large black try-put is a relic of the Antarctic seal industry and was collected at South Georgia in 1951 by Dr R.M. Laws. It was probably made in Wapping Docks, London, and taken to the island about 1800. A note in the Museum describes its use.Trypot (Photo: Kay Smith)


Bust of Robert Falcon Scott by Kathleen Scott (Photo: J.A. Dowdeswell)The bust of Captain Scott in the entablature was also cast by Lady Scott.