Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (18.11.1832, Helsinki – 12.8.1901 Dalby, Sweden) led several expeditions to the arctic region and was the first to sail the North-East passage from northern Norway to the Bering Straits.

Nordenskiöld is the best internationally known Finnish-born scientist. His collection of charts and geographical works is, according to Unesco, among humanity’s most notable sources of knowledge. The collection is kept in the library of the University of Helsinki.

Nordenskiöld received his scientific education at the University of Helsinki. In a speech he gave in 1857 at his degree ceremony he expressed some critical views about Russia which did not please officials in the Grand Duchy. With his academic career at home now on the rocks because of political differences, Nordenskiöld moved to Sweden where he was made professor and acting head of the state mineralogical department in 1858 at the age of just 26.

Nordenskiöld led several expeditions, especially to the northern sea areas. As a researcher of these northern sea areas he was interested particularly in the charts of the regions, the travel accounts, the descriptions of voyages and the often tragic attempts of his predecessors. He made his own journeys at a time when there was fierce competition to reach the North Pole.

Nordenskiöld was the first to sail the North-East Passage from the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific. In 1878 Nordenskiöld sailed his ship the Vega in just over 13 months along the northern European and Asian coastlines to the Pacific. The journeys he undertook in arduous conditions also made him a hero in the eyes of the general public.

His two part account of the journeys of the Vega became a best-seller and was translated into 10 languages. He used the proceeds mainly to add to his extensive chart collection.

This courageous explorer was also a courageous scientist. Nordenskiöld was happy to present hypotheses at odds with generally agreed theories and many of these proved later to be correct.

A distinguished natural scientist, polar traveller and historian, Nordenskiöld was nominated in 1893 as a member of the Swedish Academy.