Kildare's Shackleton Experience to open this week

THE OPENING of the highly anticipated Shackleton Experience in Athy has come at last, with the museum set to open to the public this Saturday (11 October).

Years of preparation and work has gone into the project, and is part of a larger €100 million council strategy to regenerate the town of Athy, which includes other projects such as the regeneration of Emily Square, the Barrow Blueway and the Food, Drinks & Skills Innovation Hub set to open its doors this spring.

The museum itself costs €7.7 million, with €5.2 million of that coming from the government’s Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the balance from Kildare County Council itself. The museum has also seen significant support from entities such as Athy Heritage Company and Fáilte Ireland during the process.

The Shackleton Experience has transformed the 300-year-old town hall into a fresh tourist attraction for the town that focuses on the life of Athy-born Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton. The regeneration of this historic hall was a very important piece of the puzzle and the council has confirmed that the building’s focal point – the clock given to Athy by Lord Downes in1838 – is still in the process of repairs. It was confirmed that due to “timing issues” it will not be repaired by the official opening of the museum.

The museum not only explores Shackleton’s life and polar expeditions, but also has a present-day focus on climate change in relation to conservation of polar animals, and aims to educate visitors on this present-day issue.

With so much interest building for the attraction, the council expects visits from schools, families, adventure and endurance enthusiasts as well as international visitors – with hopes to later develop programmes with local Athy groups and schools.

Manager of the Shackleton Experience, Brannockstown native Aline FitzGerald, called her experience with the museum so far had been “wonderful.” 

“It's just phenomenal really,” she said. “I think everyone can see the difference it's going to make to the town. Everybody has worked so well together to bring it to life, and that has proved in the success of it to date and how it has unfolded.” 

An official opening will take place on Friday and the doors will open to the public for the first time on Saturday.

Visitors to the attraction are in for a treat with the term ‘museum’ simply not sufficient enough for describing the immersive experience it is.

“When you come here to hear about Shackleton and his expeditions, you fully experience the essence of how that would be. So it is an experience for visitors to come here and engage in,” said Aline.

The attraction boasts over 200 artefacts, including the cabin where Ernest Shackleton died while he was on a expedition and a sledge and harness that was used in the famous Nimrod expedition.

On top of that, there are many immersive experiences including augmented reality sections and interactive elements, including the ‘cold planet’ section where visitors can feel the freezing temperature of the Antarctic for themselves.

Kildare County Council’s Manager of Planning, Enterprise, Economic Development and Emergency Services, Alan Dunney, said that the council has “ambitious targets” for the amount of visitors the museum is likely to receive and said: “We would hope to use it as leverage to increase footfall into the town of Athy.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Ms FitzGerald as she considered Athy’s location well connected to other nearby attractions, and of course, the country’s capital.

“We are really on the doorstep of Dublin,” she said. “We’re very easily accessible by train or by road. I think this really puts Athy on the map.” 

The Shackleton Experience is not only expected to be positive economically for the town, but also for locals with a new employment opportunities opening to fill not only the museum itself but also Ernie’s Café. It is expected that approximately 13 people will be employed in the building overall.

Aside from the employment opportunities, the building also offers a free-of-charge exhibition covering Athy’s medieval history, and the café which will be open to the public.

Athy’s new cultural landmark hopes to leave visitors with an important sentiment by Shackleton himself: “By endurance we conquer.” 

“That sense of working together as a team,” explained Ms FitzGerald. “Of never falling off track, and that you should never underestimate what you can accomplish together.”