Famous explorers 20th century
Facts about explorers.
10 Famous Explorers Whose Discoveries Connected the World
When European explorers first began sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, they were searching for new routes to China and the East, but what they found was more than they imagined: the New World.
Some of these explorers, like Christopher Columbus, are both celebrated and vilified today.
Types of explorers
Others, like Ferdinand Magellan and Francisco Pizarro, were met with violent and untimely deaths. And some, like Marco Polo, failed to received recognition in their lifetime, only to have their discoveries confirmed centuries later.
Learn more about some of the history’s most famous explorers and what they are remembered for today.
Marco Polo
Time Period: Late 13th century
Destination: Asia
Marco Polo travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between and
Marco Polo was a Venetian explorer known for the book The Travels of Marco Polo, which describes his voyage to and experiences in Asia.
Polo traveled extensively with his f