Explorers Club Headquarters: Inside the Vault of Global Discovery

Why It Stands Out

The interior is a dense tapestry of scientific achievement and adventure. Visitors ascending the stairs encounter the massive globe used by Thor Heyerdahl to plot the Kon-Tiki voyage, while a polar bear named Percy stands watch on the second floor.

The club’s walls are lined with retired expedition flags that have traveled to the most remote corners of the planet, alongside a sled from the 1909 journey to the North Pole. The collection reflects an era when taxidermy and physical specimens were the primary tools of natural history.

Among the 13,000 books and 5,000 maps, the club preserves curiosities like a narwhal tusk, a set of rare double elephant tusks from the Congo, and a controversial yeti scalp. Even the library holds a piece of dramatic history: a painting titled The Rescue of Greeley, completed just hours after the survivors were found in 1884.

For those interested in culinary lore, ask about the mammoth tusk and the legendary club dinner held in 1951.

Before You Go

The headquarters is open to the public during standard operating hours, though those looking for a deeper dive should contact the club to schedule a group tour. If you visit between September and June, check the schedule for the regular lecture series held in the Clark Room, where modern-day pioneers continue the tradition of sharing their findings from the field.