Arctic culture and climate

Home to rich cultures for nearly 30,000 years, the Arctic is far from the inhospitable hinterland it's often imagined to be.

From 28,000-year-old mammoth ivory jewellery to modern refitted snow mobiles, the objects in this immersive exhibition reveal the creativity and resourcefulness of indigenous peoples in the Arctic. Developed in collaboration with Arctic communities, the exhibition celebrates the ingenuity and resilience of Arctic peoples throughout history. It tells the powerful story of respectful relationships with icy worlds and how Arctic peoples have harnessed the weather and climate to thrive.

The dramatic loss of ice and erratic weather caused by climate change is putting unprecedented pressure on Arctic peoples, testing their adaptive capacities and threatening their way of life.

What happens in the Arctic will affect us all and this exhibition is a timely reminder of what the world can learn from its people.