For the Day of Russian Science

On the 205th Anniversary of Antarctica’s Discovery

On February 18, the Russian House in Brussels hosted a virtual lecture titled “In Search of Antarctica: 200 Years Later”, organized by the World Ocean Museum. The event was dedicated to the 205th anniversary of Antarctica’s discovery and the history of the famous expedition led by Fabian Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev.

In his opening remarks, Alexey Mikhailovich Budanov, Deputy Director General of the World Ocean Museum, emphasized the importance of the museum’s cooperation with international platforms and highlighted its contributions to scientific research aimed at studying the ocean.

During the lecture, Pavel Matviets, a participant in the round-the-world expedition “Sails of the World – 2020”, senior researcher at the World Ocean Museum, and art historian, spoke about the grand voyage that led to the discovery of Antarctica and 29 previously unknown islands. He paid special attention to the artistic legacy of painter Pavel Nikolaevich Mikhailov, who documented key moments of the 1819–1821 voyage, as well as visits to South America, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.

The audience had the opportunity to see unique drawings by Mikhailov depicting the newly discovered Antarctic lands and significant events of that era. Pavel Matviets also shared his personal impressions of the “Sails of the World – 2020” expedition aboard the Sedov, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Antarctica’s discovery and the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory.

The lecture attracted great interest, underscoring the importance of geographical discoveries and their legacy in the modern world.

Watch the lecture video here:

An exhibition of graphic works by Yevgeny Mashkovsky from the museum’s collection, “Around the World on Sedov”, will be available at the outdoor stands of the Russian House from March 4 to April 1, 2025