About the Exhibition

The exhibition tells the story of one of the most important polar expeditions
of the 19th century — the Austro-Hungarian scientific Arctic expedition of 1872–1874.

A particularly valuable aspect of this historical story is the fact that 12 of the
24 crew members came from the Adriatic region. Expedition leaders Carl Weyprecht
and Julius Payer collectively referred to them as the Quarneroli.

Although many doubted that sailors from the warm Adriatic could endure the extreme
polar conditions, the Croatian and Adriatic seamen proved crucial to the expedition’s
success — resilient, reliable, and optimistic even in the harshest circumstances.

The expedition ship Admiral Tegetthoff remained trapped in ice for more than
two years, and during this dramatic journey the previously unknown archipelago of
Franz Josef Land was discovered.

Scientific Importance of the Expedition

It also laid the foundations for international polar research and future “Polar Years”.

Today, the expedition is considered a precursor to modern climate change research
and the study of the Arctic’s impact on the global climate system.

What Visitors Can See

Speakers