An exhibition that shows the journey of the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA), a pioneering institution in the development of Antarctic research, and the outstanding work of those who work in Argentine bases facing the extreme conditions of the white continent was inaugurated.
The Minister for Culture of the Argentine Republic, Tristán Bauer, the Secretary for Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Filmus, and the Director of the IAA, Walter Mac Cormack, took part in the opening ceremony at the Museum of the Malvinas and Islands of the South Atlantic along with museum director, Edgardo Esteban. The temporary exhibition "Exploring the southern limit. 70 years of the Argentine Antarctic Institute" presents the journey of the first scientific organization in the world solely dedicated to the study of Antarctica.
Located on the Museum´s ground floor, the exhibition shows scientific instruments used during different periods by the IAA, an Antarctic campsite, videos about some key moments in its development, such as its activities during the International Geophysical Year 1957/8, documentary footage shot by the IAA and old and current uniforms, used for work in Antarctica.
National Director of the Antarctic, Patricia Ortúzar, along with IAA´s Social Sciences, Communication and Dissemination Coordinator, Pablo Fontana, and Luisa Di Tomaso, Head of Museology of the Malvinas Museum worked on the production of this exhibition and were present at the inauguration together with a representative of the Joint Antarctic Command, Lieutenant Álvaro Bigarella, and Nelida Silvana Pujato, niece of Hernán Pujato, the first director of the IAA that bears his name, and a renowned promoter of initiatives that strengthened Argentine sovereignty in Antarctica.
The IAA was created in 1951 by decree of President Juan Domingo Perón and this year it celebrates its 70th anniversary. It is a multidisciplinary institution that undertakes the study of the Argentine Antarctica through numerous scientific disciplines. Its creation guarantees the training and capacity building of specialized Argentine scientific and technical personnel who undertake their activities guided by principles of peace and international cooperation, fundamental pillars of the Antarctic Treaty.
