FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXPLORERS HALL EXHIBIT SHOWCASES LIFE OF SIR EDMUND HILLARY DURING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST EVEREST SUMMIT

WASHINGTON (March 10, 2003)—An exhibition celebrating the life and achievements of Sir Edmund Hillary, who, with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, conquered Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, will be held at National Geographic's museum Explorers Hall from April 15 to Sept. 1.

"Sir Edmund Hillary: Everest and Beyond" explores all aspects of Hillary's life, from his early years as a beekeeper and novice climber, to his celebrated Everest climb 50 years ago, to his humanitarian work for the people of the Himalaya.

Told through panoramic landscapes, original film footage of the 1953 expedition, replica Sherpa buildings and never-before-seen objects from the Everest ascent, the exhibit also charts Hillary's other journeys, including his South Pole tractor trek from 1956 to 1958 and his jet boat pilgrimage up the Ganges River following the death of his wife and daughter in 1975.

Exhibit highlights include the ice ax he used on Everest, his Kodak Retina 35mm camera that recorded the legendary summit photographs, the clothing he wore on the summit, the nylon rope, oxygen frame, pack and mask he used during the climb, one of the three tractors he drove to the South Pole, various religious and domestic Sherpa artifacts, and a selection of Hillary's many awards and decorations, from the Order of the Garter to the Kathmandu Taxi Drivers Association Award.

Divided into nine sections covering Hillary's life, the exhibit also features replicas of the "Silver Hut," in which five men survived a Himalayan winter at 19,500 feet, a Thami schoolhouse with drawings and messages from Sherpa children, a Buddhist temple, the Sherpa kitchen in Khunde where Hillary planned many of his projects and a Buddhist chorten, or stone religious monument.

Visitors to the exhibit will be able to enjoy several interactive experiences: walking across a ladder over an image of a crevasse, and trying on backpacks of various weights to simulate what Hillary carried up Everest and how heavy the load felt at different altitudes.

"This exhibition is a continuation of the long association the National Geographic Society has had with Sir Edmund Hillary and Everest," said Susan Norton, director of exhibits and special events at Explorers Hall. "In 1988 Sir Edmund was one of the recipients of the Society's Centennial medal; in 2002 the National Geographic Expeditions Council sponsored the 50th Anniversary Everest Expedition, in which Peter Hillary, Jamling Norgay and Brent Bishop, sons of renowned Everest climbers, climbed the mountain to commemorate their fathers' achievements."

"Sir Edmund Hillary: Everest and Beyond," which debuted in Auckland, New Zealand, from Oct. 27, 2002, to March 2, 2003, was produced by the Auckland War Memorial Museum and National Geographic's Explorers Hall. The exhibition was made possible in part by the generous support of American International Group Inc.

National Geographic is marking the 50th anniversary of the Everest summit in many other ways. The May 2003 issue of National Geographic magazine will feature 70 pages on Everest, including an exclusive reminiscence by Hillary, a pictorial timeline of major Everest expeditions, an in-depth portrait of the Sherpa people and a dramatic high-resolution map offering the sharpest view yet of the Everest region.

On April 27 National Geographic Channel will broadcast globally a two-hour documentary, "Surviving Everest," on the 50th Everest Anniversary Expedition. The companion video, "Everest: 50 Years on the Mountain," will be available in retail in May 2003.

National Geographic is publishing five books on Everest this year, including a biography on Tenzing Norgay. The Society's Web site will also carry extensive coverage of Everest at www.nationalgeographic.com/everest.

CONTACT: Mimi Koumanelis
+1 202 857 5814
mkoumane@ngs.org