Some holdings of the Polar Archives are available digitally. Many more materials from this special collection are accessible for consultation on-site only, in the collection’s designated reference room.
Archival Holdings
Listing of the records, papers, publications, audiovisual materials, and photographic images held by the Polar Archives
Featured Collections
Online Exhibits
Exhibits showcasing highlights of the Polar Archives collection with text and images
Oral Histories
Polar Oral Histories - The American Polar Society and The Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation, conducted a series of oral history interviews to document the early years of American polar exploration. The products of the interviews—tapes, abstracts, bibliographies records, etc.—are the property of The Ohio State University and its Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program. Individual tapes and transcripts are available to researchers.
"Deep Freeze" Oral Histories - Dian Belanger, author of Deep Freeze: The United States, the International Geophysical Year, and the Origins of Antarctica’s Age of Science, donated her oral history interviews to the Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program.
Additional Resources
Polar Timeline - A time of life events and achievements of three major explorers - Byrd, Wilkins and Cook - and achievements of the Byrd Polar Research Center, within the context of other US and World Polar events.
Byrd Center History Corner - Published by the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, the History Corner features the stories of the history of polar exploration.