HMS Erebus: from dockyard to discovery

The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is hosting a major new exhibition, “HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery”, open to the public from Monday 8th June 2026.

Many know the shocking true story of the ill-fated Franklin expedition, on which HMS Erebus and HMS Terror set off to the Arctic in 1845 in search of the Northwest passage and never returned, with the loss of all 129 crew members amid tales of desperation and cannibalism. Discovery of Erebus’ wreck below the icy waters of the Canadian Arctic in 2014 reignited worldwide interest in the mystery and legacy of polar exploration.

It is less well known that HMS Erebus was built and launched at the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock, in West Wales, on 7th June 1826. Originally a bombship, Erebus was a fine example of 19th-century Welsh maritime craftsmanship. In her early years at sea, the power of this small ship singled her out as perfect for polar exploration and, after a refit, she took part in some of the most important explorations of the age, including the Ross Antarctic Expedition.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of her launch and Pembroke Dock’s role in this part of world history, and thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, the Centre has secured the loan of rare artefacts recovered from Erebus' wreck never before displayed to the British public. These items offer tangible and touching connections to life on board and the extraordinary challenges of 19th-century polar exploration.

Step inside a recreation of a ship’s cabin to view the artefacts, and admire a “holographic” image created from detailed and accurate 3D scans of the ship’s bell. A digital interactive touchscreen display will invite you to explore route maps, the mysteries of the disappearance and the grim fate of the crew, as well as the clever adaptations that equipped the ship for polar exploration, and the role that local Inuit played in locating the wreck over a century later. Undersea video footage will show divers exploring the wreck site. An immersive Antarctic diorama with scale model will show Erebus on her earlier pioneering exploration of the South Pole. Displays will explain how a ship built in a small Welsh town contributed to major advances in global scientific knowledge.

There will be quizzes and activities for children to engage them with the displays. All text will be in Welsh and English.

“HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery” will be open to the public from Monday 8th June 2026, until the end of October 2026. The museum is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.