Visitors can now travel to the northernmost inhabited place on Earth without leaving the Bay of Quinte. The Quinte Museum of Natural History officially opened its newest exhibition, Expedition Alert: Stories from the High Arctic on Monday during March Break.
The exhibition represents one of the museum’s most ambitious projects to date, bringing national research partnerships and Arctic fieldwork into a rural museum setting.
The immersive exhibition brings the landscapes and wildlife of CFS Alert on Ellesmere Island to Quinte West, offering a rare look at one of the most remote and extreme environments on the planet. Through Arctic wildlife stories, scientific research, and interactive experiences, the exhibition explores how animals, researchers, and northern communities adapt to life at the edge of the world.
Visitors encounter iconic Arctic species including polar bears, muskoxen, Arctic hares, wolves, and migratory seabirds, while learning about the ongoing scientific work taking place in Canada’s High Arctic. The exhibition also highlights innovative northern technologies and research collaborations helping scientists better understand rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems.
“The High Arctic is one of the most extraordinary environments on Earth,” said Deanna Way, Executive Director of the Quinte Museum of Natural History. “With Expedition Alert, we wanted to bring those stories of exploration, science, and survival directly to our community. This exhibition shows what’s possible when researchers, educators, and local partners come together to share knowledge and inspire curiosity about our planet.”
A highlight of the exhibition is an interactive video game developed by Animation students from Loyalist College, placing visitors in the role of an Arctic hare navigating the challenges of survival on the tundra. The experience blends storytelling, science, and creativity to show how Arctic animals survive in one of the harshest climates on Earth.
Expedition Alert was developed through collaborations with SmartICE, Nanuk Narratives, Loyalist College, and researchers from the Université du Québec à Rimouski, alongside specimen loans from the Royal Ontario Museum and Canadian Forces Station Alert.
The exhibition was made possible through funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), with additional support from the City of Quinte West, Research Casting International, Trenval Community Futures, and a network of regional partners and supporters.
The exhibition is now open to the public.
