The Explorers Club flag represents an impressive history of courage and accomplishment and has been carried on hundreds of expeditions by Club members since 1918. To carry the Club flag is an honor and a privilege. It has flown at both poles, from the highest peaks of the greatest mountain ranges, traveled to the depths of the ocean, to the lunar surface, and outer space. A flag expedition must further the cause of exploration and field science.
The current flag was designed by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, one of the Club’s founding members. Between the red of courage and the blue of fidelity lies a broad white diagonal displaying the initials of the Club’s name and a compass rose, symbolizing the worldwide circle of the Club’s interests. The first members to carry the new flag were Clyde Fisher and Carvath Wells, who journeyed to Lapland in 1924 while leading an astronomy expedition for the American Museum of Natural History.
Today there are 202 numbered flags, each with its own history. Many of the older flags have been retired. A select handful of these retired flags are framed and displayed at headquarters in New York City, including the flags carried by Roy Chapman Andrews, Bob Bartlett, Thor Heyerdahl, and the miniature flag carried by the astronauts onboard Apollo 11.
Club members who are planning scientific expeditions are encouraged to apply for the honor of carrying the flag. Instructions and application form are available to members only. To the individuals who have carried it, the flag stands as a reminder of the dignity of the Club and of the high standards it expects of its members.
More information can be found here.