VIDEO: British polar expedition artefacts on display at Henfield Museum

The Henfield museum has opened a new exhibition showcasing items from one of the most famous British polar expedition in history.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Oct 2014, 12:15 BST
JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001
JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001

The Terra Nova exhibition will be displaying artefacts from the British polar expedition of 1910-1913 where Robert Falcon Scott and his team braved the cold temperatures in a bid to be the first people to reach the South Pole.

Items such as one of Scott’s boots and a snow shoe are on display in the museum along with photographs taken on the trip by expedition photographer Herbert George Ponting showing the extreme conditions the group had to deal with.

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The exhibition was the idea of Trevor Hodgson who is directing the play Terra Nova, the historic story of Scott the Antarctic, at the Henfield Halls this week.

JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001
JPCT 141014 S14430519x Scott the antarctic exhibition taking place at Henfield Museum with genuine artefacts from the historical event. Trevor Hodgson -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-141014-160222001

He said: “It seemed like a good idea to run the exhibition alongside the play. It is curbing my love of the history with my love of theatre.

“I have been fascinated with it since I was about ten. Ever since then I have researched it. I share the same birthday as Scott and it always help when you have a connection to your heros.”

All the items in the exhibition have been given to Henfield Museum by The Polar Museum, the Scott and Polar Institute, the University of Cambridge and will only be on display until the end of the week.

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Trevor said: “I have been up to the museum many times. It was just an idea to put the two on together.

“I didn’t expect them to say yes. it is amazing to see it here and I am really excited.”

Alan Barwick, curator of Henfield Museum, said: “It is the first time we have put a display on with items from another museum.

“It is quite a unique display and it probably won’t be coming back any time soon so people should make the most of it.

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We are very pleased and we hope lots of people come to see it.”

The exhibition will be running until Saturday, October 18, and visitors will be able to see the artefacts during normal museum opening hours. The play will be running alongside it with performances on Thursday, October 16, Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18. Guest who will be watching the play will also get a chance to see the artefacts with the museum opening its door before the performance and during the interval.

Tickets to see the play are still on sale, call 01273 490080