The Explorer’s Club
February 2021
An image of the Apollo 11 moon landing with the miniature Explorers Club Flag carried on that mission in the pocket of Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit. The Explorers Club Research Collections.
“THE WORLD'S GREATEST EXPLORERS MEET HERE.”
It is ironic that in February 2021, when the world was in the midst of its lockdown I became a member of the famed Explorer’s Club. I have been aware of this prestigious organization since my days at Bowdoin when I explored the Peary MacMillan Arctic Museum which fueled my already burning passion for travel, wonder and curiosity which exploration in all its forms entails.
The Explorers Club is an American-founded international society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and fields of study. And in the more contemporary age expanding this to a more diverse membership which includes a more expansive framing of exploration to include storytelling, curiosity, with social and environmental responsibility. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point for explorers and scientists worldwide. The esteemed membership past and present is too vast to name but included President Roosevelt, Sylvia Earle, Jane Goodall, the Apollo Astronauts, Jeff Bezos, James Cameron, and most presidents of the Natural History Museum and Smithsonian. The list goes on and on and it is an extreme honor and thrill to join their ranks.
A hand colored lantern slide taken on the Belgica Antarctic expedition (1897-1899). The Explorers Club Research Collections.
The club has great articles for members and non members a like as well as a young explorer’s membership for the young and curious which is absolutely worth checking out. Also worth checking out are their many talks streaming on youtube featuring the expertise of the many members and accessible to anyone, a silver lining of covid times. If you are as endlessly curious and eager to explore whether you are able to do it with your feet or your mind, definitely check out the club and the resources here.
