Antarctic heritage revisited

Abstract

The concept of cultural heritage, and what the term encompasses is forever changing as the society around us develops through time. The determination that something is considered as heritage or not has the ability to transform it from an everyday article into a historically significant object with the power to recreate points in our shared history which can be revisited in the present day. A formal definition of cultural heritage did not appear in the Antarctic Treaty (ATS) System until 1995, and one element this paper aims to identify how the treaty system developed a unique regime for the designation, regulation and management of Antarctic heritage. This report also attempts to provide insight into the challenges facing the ATS when designating, regulating, and managing Antarctic heritage, and attempts to highlight the role of the rapidly growing tourism industry in relation to Antarctic heritage.