7 October, 2024 Press releases

*It’s not too late to sign up to Ticket to Antarctica. Your name can join RRS Sir David Attenborough in the Falkland Islands*

Do you dream of visiting Antarctica? Well, now’s your chance to follow a journey to the frozen continent – according to the naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

Ticket to Antarctica invites the public to follow an adventure to Antarctica aboard the UK’s Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough.

Professor Dame Jane Francis is Director of the British Antarctic Survey. She says:

“I believe that everyone should experience Antarctica, the wonder, the beauty and why this continent is so important. We need to understand more about the frozen continent, its animals and ice and how it’s being affected by environmental change.

“We’re all fascinated with Antarctica, but the reality is that very few people will ever visit. This project will excite families and individuals alike, allowing them to experience the wonders of the ice from their homes. All you need is a computer or mobile to join in with the fun and adventure.”

People can sign up at tickettoantarctica.co.uk to add their name to a time capsule that will travel thousands of miles on the research ship to the UK’s Rothera Research Station in Antarctica, operated by British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The time capsule has been made from the head of an ice core drill, so has been used for science in Antarctica.

As well as receiving a souvenir digital ‘ticket’ featuring campaign character Pebble Penguin, there will be weekly email updates from the voyage.

Ticket to Antarctica, created by the British Antarctic Survey, offers a fun, free and immersive experience, featuring:

  • Weekly email postcard updates: experience the voyage through the eyes of the ship’s crew, learn what to pack for a trip to Antarctica, enjoy stunning photographs of the wildlife including penguins, seals and whales, and explore the research stations where over 100 people live and work.
  • Activities: Those who sign up can get involved with Q&A sessions and try their hand at navigating around icebergs in our interactive game ‘Iceberg Invaders’, as well as joining a live link-up with Rothera Research Station in Antarctica on 12 November.
  • The big sail: Mark your calendars for 13 October 2024, when the RRS Sir David Attenborough departs from its port of Harwich, in the UK and the adventure begins.

Journey highlights:

  • Sail over 8,000 kilometres from the UK to Antarctica
  • Meet the crew and learn what it’s like to live and work at sea
  • See icebergs and the resident wildlife
  • Visit British Antarctic Survey’s research stations in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. You’ll get to visit Rothera, Signy, Bird Island and King Edward Point Research Stations
  • Explore BAS’s centre for marine biology and gateway into the ‘deep field’ at Rothera Research Station, meeting the staff and scientists working at the forefront of polar research

Ticket to Antarctica aims to bring the magic of the Antarctic to people of all ages – creating a deeper understanding and appreciation for this remote continent, and the science taking place to understand the impact of climate change.

To register for your free ticket and follow this adventure sign up now at: http://tickettoantarctica.co.uk

Pop into POP24 live in Antarctica: mark 12 November at 9.55am in the diary! Schools can join a live call with researchers on the RRS Sir David Attenborough and at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica, as part of the Protect Our Planet Day of broadcasts run by STEM Learning and the UK Space Education Office. Recommended for KS2 and KS3 – register for POP24 here.