The Explorers Club


The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point for explorers and scientists worldwide.
The Explorers Club hosts an annual dinner to honor accomplishments in exploration, which is known for its adventurous, exotic cuisine.

History

In 1904, a group of men active in exploration met at the request of noted journalist, historian, and explorer Henry Collins Walsh, to form an organization to unite explorers in the bonds of good fellowship and to promote the work of exploration by every means in its power. Joining Walsh were Adolphus Greely, Donaldson Smith, Carl Lumholtz, Marshall Saville, Frederick Dellenbaugh, and David Brainard. After several further informal meetings, The Explorers Club was incorporated on October 25, 1905. Women were first admitted in 1981, with a class including Sylvia Earle and Kathryn Sullivan. Famous honorary members have included Theodore Roosevelt, John Glenn, Jim Fowler, Walter Cronkite, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Edmund Hillary, Buzz Aldrin and Albert I, Prince of Monaco.
The Explorers Club has 32 chapters in the United States and around the world, which serve as local contact points for explorers, scientists, and students. Many chapters hold monthly dinners, lectures and seminars, award field-research grants to students, publish newsletters and organize expeditions, field trips and educational events.

Charter members

The Explorers Club is renowned for Five "Famous Firsts" accomplished by its members, including:
The Explorers Club held its first regular meeting at its original headquarters in the Studio Building at 23 West 67th Street in New York City. The club finished construction on its next headquarters at 544 Cathedral Parkway in 1928 and there the club continued to expand its extensive collection of artifacts, trophies and books on exploration. In 1965, spurred by Lowell Thomas, the club purchased its current headquarters on the Upper East Side, a six-story Jacobean revival mansion on East 70th Street, where it houses the James B. Ford Exploration Library, the Sir Edmund Hillary Map Room and a collection of artifacts from more than a century of exploration. The building was previously the home of Stephen C. Clark. Certain designated rooms of the Club are open to the general public.

Lectures and publications

In the 1920s, the club began to invite both explorers returning from the field and visiting scientists to relate their experiences and findings. By the 1930s these informal gatherings developed into academic lectures and illustrated talks. The club continues to provide weekly lectures and programs, which are often open to the public at its headquarters. In November 1921, The Explorers Club published the first edition of The Explorers Journal to share news from the field, remarks from headquarters, recent acquisitions, obituaries, and book reviews. The Explorers Journal is still published quarterly, with articles and photography from Explorers Club members in the field.

The Explorers Club flag

To obtain permission to carry the flag, a club member must show that an expedition holds the promise of scientific results. Once approved, the flag must be exhibited at every suitable opportunity on the expedition, and must be returned to the club along with a written record of the expedition — the Flag Report. The club's research collections is the repository for these unique reports, including the original "Flag Book" — a bound journal of hand-written reports, vintage prints, clippings and assorted records submitted by the explorers who first carried The Explorers Club flag on expeditions.
Today there are 202 numbered flags. These include flags carried on such expeditions as:
NASA missions Apollo 8, Apollo 11, Apollo 13 and Apollo 15 each carried miniature club flags on board.

Honors and grants

Honors

The Explorers Club Medal, the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Club, is awarded for extraordinary contributions directly in the field of exploration, scientific research, or to the welfare of humanity. Past recipients include:
Beyond The Explorers Club Medal, the club also presents, among others, The Lowell Thomas Award, The Sweeney Medal, a Citation of Merit, The Buzz Aldrin Space Exploration Award and The Tenzing Norgay Award.

Grants

The club also awards a range of grants for field science and exploration, including The Youth Activity Fund Grant, The Exploration Fund Grant, and the Scott Pearlman Field Awards for Science and Exploration, and the Presidents Award for Exploration and Technology.

Presidents

Presidents of the Explorers Club are elected by a vote of the Board of Directors after the Annual Meeting. Men and women may offer their name for consideration.
#FromToPresident
119051906Adolphus Greely
219071908Frederick Cook
319091911Robert Peary
419121913David Legge Brainard
519131916Robert Peary
619171918Carl Akeley
719191922Vilhjalmur Stefansson
819221925George Gustav Heye
919261927James Ford
1019281930George Gustav Heye
1119311934Roy Chapman Andrews
1219351937Walter W. Granger
1319371939Vilhjalmur Stefansson
1419401943Herbert Spinden
1519441946Alexander Wetmore
1619471948Clyde Fisher
1719491950James Chapin
1819511952John Tee-Van
1919531954Edward Weyer, Jr.
2019551958Serge Korff
2119591961Charles Hitchcock
2219611963John Pallister
2319631965Serge Korff
2419651967Edward Sweeney
2519671971Walter Wood
2619711973Hobart Van Dressen
2719731975Russell Gurnee
2819751976E. Lovell Becker
2919761978Virgil Kauffman
3019781981Charles Brush
3119811985George V.B. Cochran
3219851987John Levinson
3319871989John Bruno
3419891991Nicholas Sullivan
3519911993David Swanson
3619931996John Loret
3719962000Alfred McLaren
3820002002Faanya Rose
3920022006Richard Wiese
4020062009Daniel Bennett
4120092012Lorie Karnath
4220122015Alan Nichols
4320152018Ted Janulis
442018Richard Wiese