This online exhibition presents the history behind the search and discovery of the Northwest Passage, a waterway linking the North Atlantic with the North Pacific Ocean via the North American Arctic, in the 19th century.
Before the age of the aeroplane, before the building of the interoceanic canals, before even the advent of steam propulsion, many dreamed of finding a shorter route to the Far East, one that did not involve sailing round either of the southern capes. Commercial, political, and strategic reasons made the finding of the Northwest Passage a prize of great worth.
But the Arctic could be a hostile and unforgiving environment, putting the reputation, equipment and lives of those who attempted its exploration, at risk.
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Note about captions
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