In honor of the International Polar Year, through March 2009,
the Portland Museum of Art will present an exhibition of the
story of Arctic exploration during its peak years from 1850 to
1910. Drawn from the collection of the Osher Map Library at the
University of Southern Maine in Portland, the exhibition will
feature more than 35 maps, books, prints, and other graphics
dedicated to the Arctic explorer. The Coldest Crucible: Arctic
Exploration in American Culture will be on view March 14 through
June 21, 2009. The Arctic explorer is a storied figure in
American history-an icon of endurance, single-mindedness, and
American spirit. This story of exploration unfolded not only in
the Arctic but also at home in America. As Arctic Fever swept
across the nation in the late 1800s, more than a dozen
expeditions entered the Arctic on voyages of discovery, to
rescue missing explorers, find a Northwest Passage, and stand at
the North Pole. Few of these missions were successful, and many
men lost their lives en route. Yet