polar history library

The Polar History section contains information about the people that explored the furthest reaches of the globe. In this section, you can learn about some of the explorers that set out to find the ends of the Earth.

Featured Article: History of Antarctica

For centuries, it was believed that a great unknown continent encompassed much of the southern end of the globe. See more »

Articles 1-20 of 31

History of Antarctica

For centuries, it was believed that a great unknown continent encompassed much of the southern end of the globe.

William Baffin

Baffin, William (1584–1622), an English navigator. He was pilot of the ship Discovery searching for the Northwest Passage.

Adolphus Greely

Greely, Adolphus Washington (1844–1935), a United States army officer and Arctic explorer.

Charles Wilkes

Wilkes, Charles (1798–1877), a United States naval officer and explorer. As a lieutenant, Wilkes commanded the U.S.

D. B. Macmillan

MacMillan, Donald Baxter (1874–1970), a United States Arctic explorer and scientist.

Duke of the Abruzzi

Abruzzi, Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the (1873–1933), an Italian naval officer and explorer, noted for his mountain-climbing expeditions.

Elisha K. Kane

Kane, Elisha Kent (1820–1857), a United States arctic explorer. Kane Basin, which separates Greenland from Ellesmere Island.

Frederick Cook

Cook, Frederick Albert (1865–1940), a United States physician and explorer. Cook led an expedition to the Arctic in 1908 and declared that he had reached the North Pole—a year before Robert E.

Fridtjof Nansen

Nansen, Fridtiof (1861–1930), a Norwegian Arctic explorer, scientist, and statesman.

George W De Long

De Long, George Washington (1844–1881), a United States explorer. De Long was born in New York City and graduated from the U.S.

K. J. V. Rasmussen

Rasmussen, Knud Johan Victor (1879–1933), a Danish explorer of Greenland. He was born in Greenland, and attended Copenhagen University.

Lincoln Ellsworth

Ellsworth, Lincoln (1880–1951), a United States explorer. He made early flights over the Arctic, and made the first flight across Antarctica.

Matthew Alexander Henson

Henson, Matthew Alexander (1866–1955), a member of the party that accompanied Robert Peary on the expedition that is generally credited with being the first to reach the North Pole.

Nathaniel Brown Palmer

Palmer, Nathaniel Brown (1799–1877), a United States sea captain who may have been the first to sight the mainland of Antarctica.

Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskjold

Nordenskjöld, Nils Adolf Erik (1832-1901), a Swedish explorer. He was the first to complete the Northeast Passage by sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Paul A. Siple

Siple, Paul A. (Allman) (1908–1968), a United States explorer, geographer, and biologist.

Richard E. Byrd

Byrd, Richard E. (Evelyn) (1888–1957), a United States naval officer, aviator, and polar explorer.

Roald Amundsen

Amundsen, Roald (1872-1928), a Norwegian polar explorer. Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole, to sail a ship completely through the Northwest Passage, and to fly a dirigible over the North Pole.

Robert A Bartlett

Bartlett, Robert Abram (1875–1946), a United States Arctic explorer. He was born in Newfoundland.

Robert E Peary

Peary, Robert Edwin (1856–1920), a United States naval officer and Arctic explorer.

polar history library

Featured Article: History of Antarctica

Articles 1-20 of 31

Articles 1-20 of 31

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