The World's First Polar Museum Opens In France

Climate change has become one of the most pressing issues nowadays, with the rapid rise of sea levels and the shrinking of our polar caps every year. To help address this, the world's first polar museum opened in France, in hopes that more and more people become aware of the importance of our polar ecosystem while learning about it in a fun way.

Called the "Espace des Mondes Polaires Paul-Emile Victor," the museum was founded by late anthropologist Jean-Christophe Victor and Naturalist Stephane Niveau. According to communications director Anthony Renou, it is "the only permanent museum devoted to the Arctic and Antarctic in the world."

This magnificent structure is aptly shaped like a jutting iceberg, with over 60% of its total space underground. Just like the Arctic and Antarctic, its 650-meter exhibition hall is separated into two poles.

Guests of the museum will be treated to displays and artifacts depicting the life in the Arctic and Antarctic, with video screens all around the place playing video presentations of the polar ecosystem's status and other topics connected with the theme. Some screens also show some humongous ice caps blanketed with snow from a strong blizzard.

According to the science times, the Antarctic part of the exhibition hall is 42 meters long, while the Arctic part is 20 meters in length. Realistic, life-sized statues of indigenous polar animals such as polar bears, wolves, and penguins are also on display at the museum.

All in all, the experience is highly immersive-designed to pique the awareness of every individual who enters. And of course, an ice skating rink is inside, as well as a restaurant, a multi-purpose hall, and a conference room.

Although Jean-Christophe Victor did not live long enough to witness the fruits of his labor. His partner, Stephane Niveau, swore to uphold the values her partner wants to instill in every mind of the guest who visits. Victor hoped around 50,000 to 70,000 guests will visit the museum in a year, so that his and his father's legacy--will live on.