Our journey starts here at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, overlooking the Port of Hobart.

Islands to Ice: The Great Southern Ocean and Antarctica is a new exhibition bringing together material from many Australian collections. It is the most interactive in-house exhibition ever staged at the Museum.

The exhibition contains five main themes.

Earliest perceptions: Examining some of the earliest human perceptions of this region.

The Southern Ocean: A huge diorama depicting the diversity of animal species in this area, from fish to sleeper sharks, albatrosses and shearwaters.

The subantarctic islands: Australia's two main subantarctic island groups - Macquarie Island and the Heard and McDonald Islands - are highlighted.

Antarctica: the continent of ice: The different forms of sea-ice along with descriptions of Antarctic flora and fauna, an ice-core sample and a touch drawer of animal specimens are some of the many exhibits.

Humans in the Antarctic region: Artefacts and stories abound, from a sled believed to be from Borchgrevink's pioneering 1898 expedition to the first Australian flag flown at the South Pole.

A special feature is the 3D theatre, where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of Frank Hurley's Antarctic 1911-1914 photography.

Visit the TMAG website for more information about the Islands to Ice exhibition and other exhibitions: www.tmag.tas.gov.au

Entry is free and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is open every day except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day.

If you have a fast broadband internet connection, you can also view the media-rich version of this Pathways site, which includes an audio narrative and slideshow.