Phone +54 2902 49-7912 | Director Pedro Skvarca | |
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Established 000000002011-01-17-0000January 17, 2011 Location El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina Type Ice and Glaciers Interpretation Center Collection size Modern multimedia exhibits Website Sitio web de Glaciarium Address Ruta Provincial 11, 9405 El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina Hours Open today · 9AM–8PMTuesday9AM–8PMWednesday9AM–8PMThursday9AM–8PMFriday9AM–8PMSaturday9AM–8PMSunday9AM–8PMMonday9AM–8PM Province Santa Cruz Province, Argentina Similar Reserva Laguna Nimez, Upsala Glacier, Los Glaciares National, Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Otto Profiles | ||
Glaciarium is a modern glacier Interpretation Centre, built to entertain and educate about ice, glaciers and the Patagonian Ice Fields. It is located in the town of El Calafate, gateway to glaciers, in the Santa Cruz province, Patagonia, southern Argentina. It opened on January 17, 2011 and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner attended the ceremony.
Contents
The centre is dedicated to ice and glaciers, a place to visit in order to understand this natural phenomena in depth. The Scientific Director is well known glaciologist Pedro Skvarca. The building is formed by a main hall and three exhibitions halls, a total of 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft). Two halls house the permanent glaciological exhibits that include dioramas, multimedia, 3D models, and other modern resources, the third hall is formed by a cultural venue and the movie theatre, were 3D documentaries and other films are screened.
Distinctions
The Glaciarium has been declared of interest by the Argentine National Parks Bureau, the Province of Santa Cruz, and the National Congress of Cultural Interest.
Permanent Exhibits
The permanent exhibits cover the formation of glaciers, the early explorers and scientists, how snow turns into ice, how glaciers move, the Earth's past, and the Patagonian glaciers.
Ice Bar
In October 2011, an ice bar opened in the Glaciarium. It was billed as being the only bar in the world constructed completely from glacial ice. Despite being provided with capes, gloves, and boots, patrons are only allowed to stay in the bar for 20 minutes because of the cold.