Contributions of the 1838–1842 U.S. Exploring Expedition

The years 1988–1992 mark the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, one of the first scientific missions undertaken by the United States to explore the oceans of the world. It circumnavigated the world and mapped large portions of the coast of Antarctica, the islands of the central Pacific Ocean, and the northwest Pacific coast of North America. The explorers were the first to sight land on the Antarctic continent. The eastern Antarctic coastline was mapped by the expedition and later named Wilkesland in honor of the commander of the U.S. Exploring Expedition. The expedition mapped most of the island groups in the central Pacific Ocean, eliminating the confusion over the number and position of islands in this region. The important legacies from the expedition include the establishment of the U.S. National Museum (Smithsonian Museum) to house the collections of the cruise and the establishment of the United States as an internationally recognized scientific leader in the area of botanical, zoological, and marine studies, and as a leader and contributor to international ocean-going expeditions.