Ice Station RGS

Step into a world of ice.

The Society, in collaboration with artist and RGS Fellow Michèle Noach, warmly invites you to a shimmering evening in celebration of ice and the many ways we have imagined, studied, mapped, traversed, written and sung about it.

Ice Station RGS is an immersive evening bringing together art, geography, science, music, film, literature and exploration to look at ice from every angle and discover what it can tell us about our changing planet.

After being welcomed to the evening in the historic Ondaatje Theatre, explore the Society after dark and experience a series of encounters, performances and installations throughout the building.

In the Map Room, where beneath your feet lie more than one million maps, live music fills this extraordinary space, take a moment to look around and consider the journeys, landscapes and stories held within its walls.

Step into a field camp created by the British Antarctic Survey in our Summit Room, meet their scientists and discover more about life and research in some of the most remote environments on Earth.

Wander into the Polar Hall, where specially curated cocktails provide another way to experience the theme of the evening. Discover extraordinary images from our Platinum Print Collection, before stepping into the Foyle Reading Room to uncover the story of the Discovery expedition, 125 years after its remarkable journey into the Antarctic.

In the Pavilion Gallery, discover our unique exhibition about ice, ranging from the legendary Antarctic photographs of Frank Hurley to knitted portraits of glaciers.

Along the way, watch films, hear spoken word and encounter ideas that explore our relationship with ice, culturally, scientifically and creatively. Throughout the building, artists respond to ice in their own ways, inviting you to pause, look closer and see this familiar yet extraordinary substance differently.

Meet the lineup

Music

• Rhodri Marsden and Keith John Adams
• Lucie Treacher and Saskia Tomlinson (puppeteer)
• Elle Márjá Eira, Lucy Parnell and Morten Pettersen
• Andrew Rumsey and David Perry
• Tim Keegan and Simon Edwards
• Fritz Catlin

Art and photography

• Marzena Pogorzały
• Steve Russell
• Andy Martin
• Rod Melvin
• Renata Tyszczuk
• Michèle Noach

Film

• British Antarctic Survey
• Nick Edwards
• Christian Houge
• Sangam Sharma
• Hans Pieski
• Chloé Reymond, Ugo Nanni and Erwan Le Cornec

Spoken word

• Michel Faber
• Louisa Young
• Joanna Grochowicz
• Peter Curran
• BAS Poets

Haiku quiz

• Hannah Bird
• Vicky Long

Polar Bear Collection

Michèle Noach

See what we got up to at IceStation RGS in 2023:

Booking information

• Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).

Attending in-person

• We do not issue tickets (electronic or physical) for this event. Instead your name will be on a list at the door. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road.

Attending online

• If you are attending the event online, the joining instructions will be included in your confirmation email.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org

Accessibility at our events

We want everyone to feel welcome at our events. Key accessibility features of this event include:

• Step-free access to the event
• Accessible toilets
• Assistance dogs are welcome
• Hearing loop

For full details, please visit our accessibility page. If you have any questions or specific access requirements, feel free to get in touch with us on access@rgs.org