A ground-breaking Arctic mission from January 2015 is being commemorated at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
On Thin Ice is a temporary exhibit consisting of six, three-metre-tall tablets featuring pictures, information and graphics describing the Norwegian research vessel mission Lance. The goal of the mission was to not only identify changes in the ice, but to pinpoint the cause of the melting ice and to raise awareness.
Museum president Meg Beckel discussed some of the problems that arise when tackling climate change.
“When it comes to climate change, people need evidence, and knowledge derived from that evidence,” said Beckel. “But they also need to be inspired to learn more and to care.”
To kick off the exhibit on Nov. 7, the museum joined with the Norwegian Embassy and the Scandinavian nation’s Royal Family to welcome Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit to the opening.
There was also a symposium held on the Arctic’s melting ice sheets to launch the exhibit.
The royal couple stayed for about 30 minutes due to scheduling constraints.
After attending the opening remarks they continued their trip across Canada.
They toured Canada to strengthen relations between the two Arctic nations, capping off their four-day visit in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
The exhibit commemorates the work done by Arctic scientists from around the world, including the Norwegians’ six-month mission last year.
“Changes that are being observed over the past few years are the most dramatic changes that have ever been seen,” said Mark Graham, the museum’s vice-president of research and collections. “Those kinds of findings make you pay attention a lot more.”
Museum officials said they hope the exhibit spreads awareness of the issues, to “help people understand why the Arctic is important to them personally,” said Beckel.
“In many cases, the Arctic is so remote that people don’t really connect with it.”
The Lance mission aimed to find out what the melting of the Arctic ice sheets means for both Arctic ecosystems and for humans.
The challenge is understanding “how an enormous surface area like sea ice and changing amounts of it affect climate and natural history,” said Graham. “A lot of animals and plants depend on sea ice, and the changing levels of sea ice.”
The exhibit runs until Nov. 20.
As a part of the Canada 150 celebration next year, Beckel said the McLeod Street museum plans to open a new permanent gallery about the Arctic called The Canada Goose Arctic Gallery.
The exhibit will feature a digital landscape of the Canadian Arctic, as well as a soundscape allowing patrons to immerse themselves into the Far North like never before.
That exhibit is scheduled to open on June 21, just days before Canada’s 150th birthday on July 1, 2017.
Beckel said she believes museums have a key role to play in the fight against climate change.
“Natural history museums,” she said, “are in the business of saving the world.”