The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: December twenty-second, preserving the instinct to explore.

In 1904, seven diverse individuals met in New York City and founded an organization dedicated to advancing the field of scientific exploration. A multidisciplinary group, they included an archaeologist, war correspondent, museum curator, physics professor, ethnologist and a pair of polar explorers. Since then, the Explorers Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. Its membership rolls have included such names as Edmund Hillary, Thor Heyderdahl and Richard Leakey.

The Explorers Club has grown into an organization with more than 3000 members in some 30 chapters. They include field scientists and explorers from over 60 countries, representing every professional discipline from Anthropology to Zoology. Through a variety of programs and grants, the club promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air and space. It also maintains a library and map room in its Manhattan headquarters.

Several years ago, the Explorers Club introduced a series of educational adventures to remote areas of the world significant to exploration and natural history. The small group trips are conducted by field experts and are also open to non-members. Nine different two and three-week explorations are planned for 2001. Explorers Club travels offer a unique, instructive opportunity to see the world.

FMI For information, contact The Explorer's Club at 212-628-8383 www.explorers.org. For trip information, contact Explorer's Club Travels at 800-856-8951

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