January 3, 2013 – Recently the British Museum has enriched its large collection of some 70,000 medals acquiring 24 medals that belonged to the family of national icon Captain Scott. For generations the Antarctic pioneer’s family had kept the medals awarded to Scott after his first Antarctic expedition in 1904. For years the medals stayed in the British Museum on long-loan term and have now become permanent part of the collection.
Last expedition of Robert Falcon Scott. The image shows Wilson, Scott and Oates (standing); and Bowers and Evans (sitting). Photo: Henry Bowers.
The medals reflect on Scott’s international fame comprising not only the gold Royal Geographic Society medal but also medals from all over the world.
You can read a blog text on this acquisition by British Museum keeper Philipp Attwood.
View some impressions of Scott’s last expedition on YouTube.
A comprehensive biography offers the site South Pole.