Successful polar evening at the Ishavsmuseet
On Wednesday, January 25, approximately 70 attendees gathered in the teaching room at the Ishavsmuseet for the first polar evening of the year, which, according to the chairman of the museum, Willy Nesset, marked the start of an active year at the museum.
The year started with the director of the Fram Museum, Geir O. Kløver, who had traveled to the Arctic village to give a lecture about Roald Amundsen and the South Pole expedition.
For six years, the Fram Museum has worked on collecting material and diaries from the crew of the Fram.
Ever since Roald Amundsen's South Pole expedition was celebrated in 1911, the expedition's source material was strictly controlled by Amundsen himself. Diaries, photographs, documents and records could not be made public. And so it has been until the Fram Museum in collaboration with the National Library's manuscript collection is now publishing eight volumes and 2400 pages of handwritten diaries from a total of 15 of the 19 members of the Fram crew.
During a lecture lasting approximately one and a half hours, the audience was treated to a detailed account of the preparations, execution and aftermath of this national historical expedition. The lecture also featured many unique images that have rarely been shown before.
Kløver's storytelling skills and vast knowledge captivated the audience. You could hear a pin drop.
After the applause had died down and Nesset imploringly thanked the speaker, the audience was given another treat.
The end of the lecture announced a cooperation agreement between the Fram Museum and the Ishavsmuseet. Kløver was able to explain that they are in the same boat, and therefore must cooperate within the niche of polar history, among other things within knowledge. This cooperation is expected to develop to apply to all Norwegian museums in the same niche.
Kløver also said that he views with skepticism all museum consolidations where most of it is about bureaucracy. He was pleased that the Frammuseet and Ishavsmuseet were able to enter into such a cooperation agreement across such state consolidations.
Nesset was also able to say that through Karlsen's contacts, Ishavsmuseet had developed good contacts with two important museums in Lunenburg and Halifax, Canada. This will probably also result in a cooperation agreement.
The Arctic Museum's Friends Association
