IPHC Conferences

Christchurch  and online/virtual  2024

ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee

University of Canterbury’s Gateway Antarctica and UiT

Norway’s Arctic University


The first Polar Science, Technology, Archaeology, and Heritage (PoleSTAH) conference was held in-person at Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand and online/virtual.

30 presentations over three days! The central theme of PoleSTAH was to explore how to enhance the integration of Arctic and Antarctic polar scientific research and heritage conservation in the context of a changing global climate. The great symmetry which currently exists between northern and southern research was evident throughout the conference and many of the 60+ attendees commented on this. 

It is hoped this will be the first of an ongoing series of hybrid conferences intended to build greater connectivity between Arctic and Antarctic research.

Copenhagen 2014

ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee Conference

The Future of Polar Heritage. Environmental challenges in the face of climate change: detection and response

The ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee and Polar Archaeology Network conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark on 25 – 28 May 2014.

Hosted by The National Museum of Denmark in association with the Greenland National Museum and sponsored by the Danish Agency for Culture it was extremely successful with attendance of 65 international attendees.

The conference brought together interested parties to discuss the future of polar heritage.  The conference theme was environmental challenges in the face of climate change – how we detect and respond to those changes. It was a highly stimulating event and we would like to thank everyone for their support and contribution, especially the sponsors, hosts, presenters and attendees.

The 2014 Conference Programme and Book of Abstracts are available online.

For a daily account from the conference please read IPHC Expert Member Andrés Zarankin’s report.

Read the IPHC Conference Review.

Photos taken by Conference delegate Ursula Rack at the guided Open Air Museum on Wednesday 28 May.

Hobart 2012

2012 ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee Conference

Conservation Challenges, Solutions and Collaboration Opportunities in Uncontrolled Environments

The ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee and Polar Archaeology Network conference was held in Hobart, Australia on 09 -11 March 2012.

The ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee held its meeting and an open conference in Hobart, Australia in March 2012. The meeting and conference was timed to coincide with a series of commemorative events in Hobart to mark the centenary of Roald Amundsen’s return to Hobart after the attainment of the South Pole.

The meeting and conference was held at the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery in Hobart, with the conference dinner in the spectacular setting of Peppermint Bay. A number of events celebrating Hobart’s links with Antarctic heritage also took place.

The focus of the conference was to bring together interested parties to discuss the conservation challenges and share solutions in uncontrolled environments, as well as improving linkages and encouraging opportunities for collaborations particularly with the science community to benefit broader conservation practice. In addition it was proposed that the opportunity for dialogue with scientists will enable linkages to be explored between current polar research and the scientific investigations which underpinned so much early polar exploration.

Proceedings from the IPHC Conference Workshops

The Hobart Aspiration  which outlines the principles agreed at the final session.

Punta Arenas 2010

ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee Conference

Polar human settlements: territory, technology and heritage

The ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee and Polar Archaeology Network conference was held in Punta Arenas, Chile 22 -25 April 2010.

Publication

Barrow 2007

ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee Conference

Historical Polar Bases. Preservation and Management

The ICOMOS International Polar Heritage Committee and Polar Archaeology Network conference was held in Barrow Alaska, 24 – 27 September 2007.


Publication