Take a virtual visit to Antarctica | Australian Antarctic Festival 2026
Description
Antarctic VR Experience
Step inside Antarctica through two immersive virtual reality experiences at the Australian Antarctic Festival’s Antarctic Expo.
Travel to historic expedition bases, encounter sled dogs and penguins, and discover the stories of the explorers and expeditioners who lived and worked in some of the continent’s most remote environments.
Event details
Dates: Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August 2026
Time: 10:05 am–4:00 pm
Session length: 30 minutes
Location: Antarctic Expo, Princes Wharf 1, Hobart
Entry: Free
Age: Suitable for ages 11 and over
Bookings: Bookings are essential. Guests must select a 30-minute session.
This experience is presented by the Mawson’s Huts Foundation in collaboration with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust as part of the 2026 Australian Antarctic Festival
Lineup
A Frozen Night VR Experience
Journey to 1965 Antarctica with 'A Frozen Night', a 30-minute virtual reality experience from the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Immerse yourself in a reconstruction of Base E on Stonington Island, a pivotal dog sledging outpost established in 1946. You'll experience the unique challenges and beauty of undertaking Antarctic fieldwork, embarking on a dog sledge expedition into the Antarctic Peninsula. Bringing a true story from the archives to life, the experience is narrated by those who once inhabited the UK's southernmost base. UKAHT is a charity dedicated to preserving British Antarctic history and inspiring people to connect with, and protect, this remarkable continent for future generations. The charity cares for six British heritage sites on the Antarctic Peninsula and leads the conservation management of Shackleton’s Endurance. As a charitable organisation, it relies on public donations to fund its vital work conservation and public engagement work. Find out more at ukaht.org
Discovery Hut VR Experience
In NZAHT’s VR you will step inside Discovery hut, just as Scott did over a century ago. This was the first expedition base built on Antarctica’s Ross Island, and constructed for the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904. Offering exciting interactions, including a ride in the hydrogen balloon the expedition launched, feeding huskies, meeting penguins, and helping a sledging party, this experience shares the stories behind this unique shelter’s place in polar history and the explorers that inhabited it. A world leader in cold-climate heritage conservation, NZAHT cares for the expedition bases of Antarctica’s legendary early explorers, including Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton, and more than 20,000 artefacts they left behind. It encourages the spirit of exploration through expeditions to engage and inspire a new generation and shares the legacy of exploration through immersive digital technology and outreach programmes.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
