A new scientific and cultural complex exploring the world of polar bears, penguins, icebergs and expeditions has opened in Prémanon, eastern France.

Described as “a new spot for knowledge and recreation” in the Jura mountains, Polar World is dedicated to telling stories of the Arctic and Antarctica.

The attraction is composed of a museum, a skating rink, an auditorium, a pedagogical garden, a multipurpose exhibition room and a restaurant. Everything has been designed to educate and entertain people of all ages by showcasing the past, present and future of the North and South Poles.

Local architects Gilles Reichardt and Gilles Ferreux designed Polar World, and took inspiration from polar expedition stations built on sea ice. The buildings have been conceived using environmentally friendly materials and bioclimatic design principles and energy sources, reflecting the museum’s green message and allowing the complex to blend into the local surroundings.

Visitors are led on “an immersive and amusing path” through the world of sea ice, which takes them through the various galleries. These house the collections of explorer Paul-Emile Victor, who grew up in Jura, and his compatriot Jean-Baptiste Charcot. Inuit toys, kayaks, pottery and masks are among the items on display.

A permanent exhibit – built around main topics such as polar ecosystems, polar cold, polar night, the people of the Arctic, polar conquest, and polar research – use video displays and models to give a voice to the explorers, scientists, ethnologists and glaciologists working in the two remote regions.

Temporary exhibits and movie projections in the auditorium focus on the future of the Poles, particularly in an era of growing ecological concerns.

Outside, the 500sq m skating rink features scenography recreating a sea ice landscape, “reminding visitors of the immensity, coldness and whiteness of extreme Polar regions.”