China Polar Research Center Polar Science Popularization Museum

China Polar Research Center Polar Science Popularization Museum

The China Polar Research Center Polar Science Popularization Museum functions as a base for science education and public outreach.

The China Polar Research Center (formerly known as the China Polar Research Institute) was established in 1989. It is China’s only scientific research and support center dedicated exclusively to polar expeditions.

The China Polar Research Center is the national center for polar science research in China. It primarily conducts research in fields such as polar snow, ice, oceans and global change; the coupling of the polar ionosphere-magnetosphere and space weather; polar ecological environments and their life processes; and the technological foundations of polar science. The Center has established a range of specialized laboratories and analytical facilities, including the Polar Snow, Ice and Global Change Laboratory, the Ionospheric Physics Laboratory, the Aurora and Magnetospheric Physics Laboratory, the Polar Biological Analysis Laboratory, the Microbial and Molecular Biology Analysis Laboratory, the Biochemical Analysis Laboratory, the Polar Microbial Strain Preservation Bank, and the Shipboard Laboratory. It also operates national field scientific observation and research stations at the Great Wall Station and Zhongshan Station in Antarctica, which serve as key platforms for studying Antarctic snow and ice as well as the space environment.

The China Polar Research Center is the operational hub for China’s polar expeditions. It is responsible for the operation and management of the Xue Long (Snow Dragon) polar research vessel, the Great Wall Station and Zhongshan Station in Antarctica, as well as domestic polar bases. The Center also oversees logistical support for China’s Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and engages in international exchanges and cooperation to enhance polar expedition support capabilities.

The China Polar Research Center is the information center for China’s polar science endeavors. It manages the construction and operation of the China Polar Science Database, the Polar Information Network, the Polar Archives, the Polar Library, and the Sample and Specimen Repository, while also providing public service access. The Center is responsible for publishing the bilingual (Chinese-English) journal Polar Research, facilitates international polar information exchange and collaboration, and oversees the development and management of the Polar Museum and the Polar Science Popularization Museum.