On Top of the World Exhibit Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Everest Ascent by Natalie Koss If youíve ever wanted to know what itís like to traverse the snowy slopes of Mount Everest, then you cannot miss the new exhibit ìSir Edmund Hillary: Everest and Beyond,î now at the National Geographicís Explorers Hall. The exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest, while offering a glimpse into the life of the mountaineer who made that daring ascent, Sir Edmund Hillary (who also graces the cover of National Geographicís May issue). The exhibit begins with Hillaryís love of adventure growing up in the town of Tuakau, New Zealand, outside of Auckland, continuing through his early days as a beekeeper and novice climber. ìEven in those early days,î Hillary wrote, ìI was a great dreamer. I used to go for long walks Ö jumping over fences with my mind far away, just thinking about adventures, and exciting things to do.î Arranged to make visitors experience the anticipation of climbing a mountain, ìEverest and Beyondî is set up with sharp turnsólarge walls acting as barri ers to the next sectionóso the viewer never knows whatís around the corner. The exhibitís organization adds to the excitement of what was one of the most exhilarating triumphs of the 20th century. Told through panoramic landscapes, replicas of Sherpa buildings and never-before-seen objects from the Everest ascent, each section is isolated so the viewer can concentrate on an individual part of Hillaryís famous climb. The most jarring section of the exhibit is the room, or rather crevasse, that uses photos of the explorers and the dramatic angles of Mount Everest to create a sense of the daunting challenges Hillary faced. Until Hillaryóalong with Sherpa Tenzing Norgayóascended the Everest peak in 1953, many other ill-fated attempts were made to conquer the worldís highest mountain. Since 1921, Mount Everest, dubbed Mother Goddess of the Universe, was the most sought-after climb among European explorers. But it was a combination of extraordinary organization, teamwork and unflappable courage that enabled Hillaryís expedition of 14 climbers and 22 Sherpas to live high on the slopes of Everest for seven weeks and succeed where others failed. Visitors can enjoy several interactive experiences, such as walking across a ladder over an image of a crevasse or trying on backpacks of various weights to simulate what Hillary carried up Everest. The tasks are not as easy as they first appear and give visitors an inkling of some of the incredible adversities Hillary and his team experienced. There are also televisions placed around the exhibit running original film footage of Hillary following his Mount Everest climb. In one film, Hillary is shown emerging from an airplane amid a crowd of adoring fans. Achieving this type of rock-star status was not something Hillary had pursued or even envisioned, but it came with the territory. After his climb, Hillary was surprised to learn that Queen Elizabeth planned to crown him Sir Edmund: ìI didnít feel I was the ideal sort of person who should have a title,î the explorer said. The exhibit also delves into Hillaryís many humanitarian achievements near the mountain. In the years following Hillaryís climb, he helped build schools, bridges and other improvements in the Sherpa villages, giving back to the people who helped him so much during his years exploring Everest. Since 1953, 1,200 men and women from 63 nations have reached the peak of Everest; nevertheless, even after 50 years, Hillaryís ascent remains one of the greatest feats of mankind. This exhibit gives proper attention to this important part of our history, never missing a step along the way. ìSir Edmund Hillary: Everest and Beyondî runs through Sept. 1 at the National Geographic Society Explorers Hall, 17th and M streets, NW. For more information, please call (202) 857-7588 or visit www.nationalgeographic.com/explorer/. Natalie Koss is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.