Royal Museums Greenwich, with support from the Challenger Society for Marine Science and the UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies, are pleased to announce that registration is now open for ‘Beyond the Ocean’s Depths: Revisiting the Challenger Expedition (1872-1876) Interdisciplinary Conference’, to be held 7-8 November 2023 at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
150 years ago, HMS Challenger departed England on a quest to explore the world’s oceans. Three and a half years later the ship returned, bringing with it the largest collection of examples of life from the deep sea. The expedition is considered a definitive moment in our understanding of the ocean as a complex ecosystem on which all life on Earth depends.
On the 7th and 8th of November 2023, the conference will bring together 25 speakers from a variety of disciplines including museum curators, marine scientists, historians, artists, independent researchers and filmmakers to consider the enduring historic, colonial and scientific legacies of this ground-breaking voyage. Keynote talks will be given by Sujit Sivasundaram, University of Cambridge, and Helen M. Rozwadowski, University of Connecticut.
Based in the historic National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, the programme also includes the exciting opportunity to view the original 1872 HMS Challenger refit ship plans, photographs made onboard, manuscripts and archives. Lunch, refreshments and a drinks reception are provided.
Please see our website to view the full programme and to register for the event. We look forward to welcoming you to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich in November.