On the border of the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord lies Kangiata Illorsua – Ilulissat Icefjord Centre. The Icefjord Centre is a visitor and dissemination centre which, through the exhibition “The Tale of Ice”, informs visitors about the history of ice, the culture in and around the icefjord, and climate change. The Icefjord Centre’s exhibition is based on research and data, and explains the area’s unique natural and cultural history, as well as the climate changes that can be clearly seen and felt.
The Icefjord Centre’s exhibition is built around three themes: “The Lifecycle of the Ice”, “The rich life by the Icefjord” and “Climate changes”. The exhibition begins at the Icefjord Centre’s cinema, where a short film about the origin of ice is shown. The film runs every 10 minutes.
In the Icefjord Centre’s café, visitors can pick up an audio guide. The audio guide contains interviews with local residents from Ilulissat, who explain about their daily lives and climate changes. The audio guide can be listened to while moving around between the exhibition’s ‘prisms’, which show animations and illustrations of snow, ice, icebergs, and much more.
If visitors need a little rest, they can use the benches that are placed throughout the whole exhibition. From here, they can enjoy the view and the historic atmosphere which characterises this beautiful UNESCO site. The Icefjord Centre also has virtual reality glasses available, which can be used while sitting on the benches. The glasses take visitors on a virtual journey to the Greenlandic research station, EGRIP.
The Icefjord Centre also has its own “Explorer room”. This room is a contemporary art installation featuring sounds that are directly transmitted from the ice at all research stations in Greenland. The sounds, which are transformed inside the room, are experienced as a beautiful symphony, so that visitors can close their eyes and dream that they are out on the ice.
If you visit the Icefjord Centre, it is impossible not to be captivated by the beautiful UNESCO-listed Kangia Icefjord, which is located just a stone’s throw from the Centre. Visitors can get an even better view of the beautiful surroundings by walking up on the roof of the Icefjord Centre, which is open for visitors around the clock during the summer months. From the top of the building there is a view over the icefjord and the whole of Ilulissat.
At each end of the building there is also an open terrace area, where visitors can sit and enjoy the view, or discuss the impressions that the exhibition has left them with.
The leader of the Icefjord Centre, Elisabeth Momme, hopes that the exhibition will lead to reflection and discussion:
“We hope that those who visit the Icefjord Centre and the Icefjord will leave here with an awareness that humankind cannot put himself above nature – that nature and humankind are one, that we must take care of nature, and that it is only on loan,” explains Elisabeth Momme.
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The Icefjord Centre has room for 150 guests at a time, so it is recommended that visitors buy their tickets in advance so that they are guaranteed admission. Tickets can be purchased on the Icefjord Centre’s website. During the summer season, tickets for the exhibition are valid for 1.5 hours. If you have not bought a ticket in advance, they can be bought in the Icefjord Centre’s café. The café does not accept cash payments – only debit cards or MobilePay. Read more here.
Visitors can satisfy their hunger in the Icefjord Centre’s café, where light meals are sold such as sandwiches and cake. It will also be possible to buy a cup of coffee, tea, or other hot and cold drinks.
Note that visitors are asked to take off their shoes at the entrance. This is based on an old Greenlandic tradition, but wearing socks also strengthens the sensory experience of the exhibition.
Article by Kristina Pihl
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