This month, RSGS is offering a rare insight into the life and adventures of famed explorer Ernest Shackleton, told through a series of tours around the Fair Maid’s House in Perth. With Shackleton as its Secretary from 1904-1905, RSGS is home to a number of stories, artefacts and images - some of which even the crew from the Endurance22 expedition (which discovered the Endurance last year) hadn’t seen before their visit to RSGS.

“When we hosted the Endurance22 team at Perth Concert Hall to a completely sold-out audience of over 1000 recently, it proved that Shackleton is still such an enduring and inspirational story” commented RSGS Chief Executive Mike Robinson.  “Following our event, we also recognized that there was a demand for us to share our exclusive stories, images and collections of our former Secretary with the public, and these tours around the Fair Maid’s House offer us the chance to do just that. We are really looking forward to showing some stories and artefacts that we rarely get the opportunity to share with the public.”

RSGS are hosting tours on Friday 26^th May and Saturday 27^th May at 11am, 12pm, 1:30pm & 2:30pm, where we will be exploring Shackleton’s life in four parts:

Shackleton in Scotland: RSGS Chief Executive Mike Robinson kicks off the tour by setting the scene. He looks at Shackleton’s time as Secretary of RSGS and the path it set him on. 

Shackleton Beyond the Ice: Discover the non-polar life of the Antarctic legend from his beginnings in Ireland to his last expedition on the Quest. Storytellers Nicola Wright and Lindsey Gibb will give an insight into his life both on and off the ice.

Putting Shackleton on the Map: Margaret Wilkes from the RSGS Collections Team offers a cartographic view of Shackleton’s adventures in the Antarctic, featuring atlases, maps and charts, including a unique map signed by Shackleton himself.

Shackleton in Words and Images: RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf shares episodes of his story, told through precious items in our collections, such as Shackleton’s application for the post of Secretary to RSGS in 1903; rarely seen photographs of the Endurance and the men who sailed on her; and of course, the opportunity to sit at Shackleton’s desk!

Tickets are £20 per person and available to book at rsgs.org/events. There are a limited number of tickets for each tour, so be sure to book online to secure a space.