The history of Igloolik is deeply rooted in its archaeological sites, some of which date back over 4,000 years, providing insight into the lives of its’ earliest inhabitants. European contact began in 1822 when the British Royal Navy ships HMS Fury and HMS Hecla, under Captain William Edward Parry, spent the winter in Igloolik. Later, in 1867 and 1868, American explorer Charles Francis Hall visited the island while searching for survivors of the lost Franklin Expedition.
In 1913, Alfred Tremblay, a French-Canadian prospector from Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier’s expedition to Pond Inlet, extended his mineral exploration to Igloolik. By 1921, a member of Knud Rasmussen’s Fifth Thule Expedition had also arrived, contributing to the island’s growing connection with explorers and researchers.
The first lasting settlement of southerners began in the 1930s with the establishment of a Roman Catholic Mission. Shortly after, the Hudson’s Bay Company set up a trading post, further integrating Igloolik into northern economic networks. Before such institutions appeared in neighboring communities, Igloolik had already seen the presence of non-Indigenous establishments, including RCMP stations, day schools, and medical clinics.
Today, the Igloolik Research Centre plays a crucial role in preserving Inuit traditional knowledge, advancing technology, and conducting research in climatology and seismic activity. The island remains an important cultural and historical hub in Nunavut.