The natural bay where Port Lockroy is located was discovered in 1904. The area gets its name from Édouard Lockroy, a French politicianwho helped fundAntarctic expeditions. Before there was a permanent settlement, the bay was used by whaling ships in the early 20th century.The current base was established in 1944 by the British military and was named Port Lockroy Station A. The base operated as a research station until 1962.
After it closed, the site was abandoned for over 30 years, but it was eventually rebuilt by the British Antarctic Survey in 1996. Ten years later in 2006, management of the site was handed over to the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which now runs the post office and gift shop. Today, Port Lockroy also features a conservationand research center, a small museum, and staff housing.
