Celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki Exhibition

4th Annual Thor Heyerdahl Lecture on 4 October 2017  at 7 PM in the SCC

One of the most well-known and admired Norwegians of all times was the explorer, archaeologists and writer, Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002)  Heyerdahl first came to the world’s attention 70 years ago with his successful Kon-Tiki expedition during which he successfully traveled across the Pacific from Peru to Polynesia aboard an experimental prehistoric sailing raft.  The book and the film of the adventure were an international sensation and over the following fifty-five years, Heyerdahl continued a life of exciting and often controversial ideas and expeditions which he shared with both the scientific community and the public.  The Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo displays the actual famous raft along with many other exhibits celebrating Thor Heyerdahl’s life and is one of the most popular attractions in Norway.  SCC Interim Director, Don Ryan, had the unique privilege of working closely with Heyerdahl for several years and is involved in perpetuating his legacy.  A few years ago, he initiated the annual Thor Heyerdahl Lecture at PLU which has brought several notable speakers from Norway and elsewhere to the SCC.

Kon-Tiki book cover
Kon-Tiki book cover

On October 4th,  we are honored to welcome Martin Biehl who was appointed director of the Kon-Tiki Museum in 2015.  Martin is well-known in Norway as an art historian and with his background in both business and museums, he was an excellent choice to guide the Museum in the years ahead.  We look forward to hearing his experiences as the new director, immersing himself in the amazing world of Thor Heyerdahl.

Martin Biehl
Third annual Thor Heyerdahl Lecture to open “Beyond the Horizon: The Legacy of Nordic Explorers” Exhibit promotional banner with Kon Tikki.
Kon-Tiki at sea