View of the moai statues on the southern outer slopes of the statue quarry, Rano Raraku, on Rapa Nui. Image courtesy of RGS-IBG, Katherine Routledge
We are pleased to once again be taking part in National Lottery Open Week, an annual celebration of the contribution National Lottery players make every week in support of good causes.
As custodians of over two million documents, maps, photographs, paintings, periodicals, artefacts and books, our Collections provide an unparalleled resource tracing 500 years of geographical discovery and research. Since 2004, funding from the National Lottery has enabled us to preserve these items for the benefit of future generations, provide public access to our materials, and promote Collections-related educational resources and events for schools and life-long learners.
This National Lottery Open Week, we’re saying #ThanksToYou and unlocking our archives to share rarely seen items, insights and stories from our historic Collections.
Earlier today, our event Mapping Rapa Nui explored the hidden histories of the Mana archaeological expedition to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, in 1912. The expedition was the first to systematically survey the famous moai statues on Rapa Nui, forming the basis for subsequent archaeological investigation. The talk was accompanied by a display of watercolour paintings and photographs by Katherine Routledge, leader of the expedition, along with other materials from the expedition.
To say thank you to National Lottery players for their support, the talk and display of items from our Collections were open for free to anyone presenting a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard. For anyone who wasn’t able to attend live, the talk is also now available to watch free of charge on our website.
Since The National Lottery’s first draw took place in 1994, more than £46 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, film, heritage, and community. Visit the website to find out more about National Lottery Open Week.