Scott's Discovery Hut

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A look at Robert Falcon Scott's Discovery Hut erected at Hut Point just outside of McMurdo. It was primarily used for storage and entertainment for the Scott party, but served as a residence for some months for Shackelton's group.
If you would like to know more about this hut, I recommend the NZ Heritage Trust site at
http://www.heritage-antarctica.org/index.cfm/Human/Scott1/

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Photos

Cooking Stove
Cooking stove in the Discovery Hut. This stove was so efficient
that when cooking it did not give off excess heat for heating the cabin.

Fur Clothing Remenants
Bits and pieces of fur and leather clothing (hats and shoes) worn by early Antarctic explorers.

Crate of Dog Biscuits
Used for feeding the sled dogs. Only one source of their food.

Close-Up of Dog Biscuits
Preserved and very dry dog biscuits.

Oatmeal Tins
Tins of oatmeal in Scott Discovery Hut. Still have food in them.

Box With Expedition Name
More foodstuff in Scott Discovery Hut. Note that the box in front still has the expedition title on it. That box looked like it might hold grain.

Miscellaneous Artifacts
Blue cups and unidentified things in a broken box.

Mummified Seal Blubber
Mummified seal blubber from 1903. You can also see the bones as well as the blubber. Imagine - this is
over 100 years old! Only in Antarctica could it be so well preserved as fats usually break down very quickly.

Hay
Hay to feed the ponies they brought on the expedition. Ponies and Antarctica did not mix well, unfortunately.

Mummified Mutton
They brought food for the men also. These mutton (sheep) carcasses were to provide meat for many meals.

Mummified Seal Carcass?
This looks like a seal carcass hanging in the mutton room. The guide wasn't sure if it was or not.

Unidentified Bones
These were in the mutton room. Neither the guide nor I know what kind of animal they came from. Sorry.

Window On Roof
There were two of these windows on the roof as well as several that looked over Ross Ice Shelf. Though the glass has been replaced, there apparently were windows in the building. It is nonetheless very dark inside. You have to use a flashlight to see most of the time.

Comments

[Michael Pettibone]

Mutton Room
My name is Michael Pettibone and I'm a part of Mrs. Hagerman's 7th grade science class. My question was... Do you think that you will ever figure out what the unidentified stuff were if you were to investigate? Or will you just leave the stuff there and go on back to your jobs?