OBJECTIVE
The museum shall, in a simple way and in several languages, impart:
- The significance these flights had worldwide at the time
- The significance these flights have for us today
- The history of the flight of the airship “Norge”
- The history of the flight of the Airship “Italia”
- The political situation in Norway and Italy at the time
- The conflict between Amundsen and Nobile after the flight with “Norge”
- The story about the international rescue operation at Nordaustlandet in 1928, where 8 nations participated, the biggest and most comprehensive rescue operation ever in the Arctic
- How the rescue operation in 1928 contributed to the mapping of Nordaustlandet
- Roald Amundsen’s disappearing in the French airplane “Latham” when searching for Nobile
- Krassin
- The investigation of Nobile
- The Wellman expeditions in 1907 and 1909
Neutrality
Spitsbergen Airship Museum shall seek to communicate, in a neutral manner and as correctly as possible, an understanding of the events that took place, also in the years after the expeditions and up until today.
Science
The museum shall also seek to present the importance of the scientific
findings of these expeditions, and the significance they have today. As
examples one can mention geographical, metrological and atmospheric observations.
The rescue operations in 1928 constitute the largest rescue operation in
the Arctic ever. The museum will represent all the nations that participated.
It is a point for the museum to emphasize international cooperation and
the creation of networks.
Visitors and students
The museum shall strive to reach a wide a public as possible. It is intended
to make an interactive educational program for schools regarding Arctic exploration. In addition to the permanent exhibition, it is a wish
to make a traveling exhibition.
Important is also the possibility to house other exhibitions.
An opening in 2008
can attract extra attention in the media, since:
- It is 80 years since the tragedy of the “Italia”
- It is 80 years since the death of Roald Amundsen
- It is 30 years since the death of Umberto Nobile
- It is the International Polar Year (IPY)
Activities and gestion
The preparations, activities and the mode of operation shall be characterized by
- An international and national network of contacts
- A close cooperation with the nations that are represented through the content of the museum
- International cooperation with national authorities and private and public scientific institutions (embassies, consulates, museums, organizations, universities, scientific centers, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, publishers etc)
- Cooperation with the relatives of the participants on the expeditions
- Cooperation locally in Longyearbyen
- Web page
- Continuous maintenance of contacts with the use of newsletters, special arrangements, film presentations, lectures, articles, advertisements
- House other short term exhibitions and initiatives related to the museum and the Arctic
- Impart knowledge in general
- A copy of the permanent exhibitions shall function as a “traveling exhibition”. This copy shall be sent abroad and shall represent Spitsbergen Airship Museum
