The RRS Discovery is the ship that took Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their first Antarctic expedition at the beginning of the 20th century. Built in Dundee in 1901, it has returned to the city where it was born and is moored on the Tay waterfront, next to the Discovery Point museum. Going on board means entering the world of the polar explorers: the wooden cabins, the wardroom, the ice-covered deck, and the story of a crew trapped in the ice for two years.
History
At the end of the 19th century Antarctica was the last almost unknown continent. The Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society organised the British National Antarctic Expedition and commissioned a ship built specifically for scientific research in the ice. Dundee was chosen, as its shipyards had long experience of building sturdy whaling ships. The Discovery, launched in 1901, had a wooden hull up to 70 centimetres thick and a reinforced bow for breaking ice.
The expedition set off in August 1901 under Scott's command, with the young Shackleton also on board. In 1902 the ship reached McMurdo Sound, where it remained stuck in the ice for two winters. The crew explored the continent with sledges and dogs, collected thousands of scientific samples and made the first systematic observations of the interior of Antarctica. In 1904 the ship was freed and returned home. Later it was used for trade by the Hudson's Bay Company and for other scientific expeditions, until in 1986 it came back to Dundee for good.
- 1901Launched in Dundee and sets off for Antarctica
- 1902-1904The ship is trapped in the ice at McMurdo
- 1904Return to Britain
- 1929-1931A new scientific expedition to Antarctica
- 1986The Discovery returns to Dundee
- 1993The Discovery Point museum opens
What to see
The Discovery Point museum
Before going on board, the Discovery Point museum tells the story of the ship's construction and the expedition with original objects, photographs, films and reconstructions: sledges, polar clothing, scientific instruments and the explorers' personal belongings. One section is devoted to daily life during the long Antarctic winters, with continuous darkness and temperatures down to minus 40 degrees.
On board the ship
On the ship you visit the deck with the wheel and masts, the wardroom with the table where Scott and his men dined, the small wooden cabins of each expedition member, the mess deck, the galley and the holds. Figures, sounds and lighting recreate the atmosphere of the voyage, while panels tell anecdotes and stories about the people on board. Below the waterline you can see the incredible thickness of the hull.
Dundee and the waterfront
Next to the Discovery stands V&A Dundee, the design museum designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and opened in 2018, with a shape reminiscent of a sea cliff. The regenerated waterfront, with gardens and cafés, links the ship with the station and the city centre.
Practical information
The museum and ship are open all year, except for a few days. The ship's stairs are steep and narrow. A combined ticket is available with Verdant Works, Dundee's jute industry museum. Opening times and prices are published on the official website.
Getting there
- By train: Dundee station is right opposite the ship; from Edinburgh in about an hour and a quarter, from Glasgow in an hour and a half.
- By air: Dundee airport has few flights; Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports are about an hour and a half away.
- By car: car parks in Dundee city centre.
Nearby
- V&A Dundee and Verdant Works.
- St Andrews, with its university, ruined cathedral and golf, about 20 minutes across the Tay bridge.
- Glamis Castle, linked to the Queen Mother and to Macbeth. See also Dundee and Scotland.
Tips
- How long: about two hours for the museum and the ship.
- When to go: all year round; it is a perfect visit in any weather.
- A tip: start with the museum and then go on board: once you have heard the story, the cabins and the ice painted on the deck will make a very different impression.