En route to New York
Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja concluded their visit to the Midwest today, and travelled on to New York. En route they viewed the exhibition “Cold Recall – Reflections of a Polar Explorer”.
The photo exhibition, which commemorates the centennial anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s expedition to the South Pole, is on display at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and is part of the airport’s Arts & Culture Program.
South Pole expedition centennial
Roald Amundsen and his men reached the South Pole one hundred years ago this year. A number of events are being organised in Norway to commemorate the anniversary, alongside events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Fridtjof Nansen’s birth.
The exhibition “Cold Recall – Reflections of a Polar Explorer”, which opened at Minnesota’s main airport on 10 October, uses photographs to illustrate both the challenges faced by Amundsen and other polar explorers and their daily life during the expedition. Much of the material comprises the lantern slides that Amundsen used in public lectures about his expeditions.
King Harald and Queen Sonja were accompanied to the exhibition by Norway’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr Wegger Christian Strømmen. There were some 100 guests in attendance, including three polar explorers: Will Steger, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen.
The exhibition is a collaboration with the Fram Museum in Norway.
Programme in New York
During their visit in New York, King Harald and Queen Sonja will attend the Norwegian-American Trade Award and Norwegian-American Achievement Award Gala Luncheon. They will also visit art exhibitions at Scandinavia House and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), as well as pay a visit to Ground Zero.
The King and Queen will attend the American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Centennial Ball on Friday, 21 October, and will conclude their stay in the US on Saturday, 22 October, with a visit to the Norwegian Seaman’s Church.
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At the South Pole
At the South Pole: Roald Amundsen (to the left), Olav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel and Oscar Wisting have hoisted the Norwegian flag above the tent they have erected on the actual Pole (Photo: Scanpix / Arkiv).Photo 1 of 1
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