Internationally renowned expert to give public talk at opening of HMS Erebus exhibition in Pembroke Dock

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is preparing to launch a major new exhibition celebrating one of the most extraordinary ships ever built in Wales. HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery will open to the public on Monday 8 June 2026, marking the 200th anniversary of the launch of HMS Erebus from the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock.

To mark the opening of the exhibition, internationally renowned Franklin expedition expert Professor Russell Potter will give a special public talk entitled “From Land’s End to the Ends of the Earth: The Eventful Career of HMS Erebus” on Monday 8 June 2026 at 10.30am at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, Meyrick Owen Way, Pembroke Dock, SA72 6FB. 

Professor Potter is widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on the Franklin expedition and polar exploration history. He is Professor of English literature at Rhode Island College, US and an acknowledged authority on the history of British exploration of the Arctic in the nineteenth century. His books include Finding Franklin: The Untold Story of a 165-Year Search, published by McGiill-Queen's University Press 2016.The talk is open to all visitors on payment of normal museum admission.

Built in Pembroke Dock and launched in 1826, HMS Erebus went on to become one of the most famous exploration ships in history, serving in pioneering Antarctic voyages before being lost on Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated Arctic expedition. Rediscovered in the Canadian Arctic in 2014, her story has captivated audiences around the world. The exhibition brings this remarkable international story back to its birthplace, featuring rare artefacts recovered from the wreck, immersive displays, digital interactives, an Arctic diorama, and underwater footage from the wreck site. Visitors will also explore Pembroke Dock’s vital role in Britain’s maritime heritage and discover how a ship built in a small Welsh dockyard helped shape global scientific understanding.

Further details about the exhibition can be found at:

https://pdht.org/hms-erebus-from-dockyard-to-discovery/

While exploring the frozen Antarctic coast in 1841, Captain James Clark Ross and his crew witnessed an extraordinary sight — an active volcano rising through the ice and snow.

Standing over 12,500 feet high, the volcano was named Mount Erebus in honour of HMS Erebus, the strong Pembroke Dock-built ship that had carried the expedition safely through dangerous polar seas.