The Meteorological and Magnetic Observatory at Laurie island, South Orkney Islands, is the first scientific station to be operating in Antarctica for 101 years. Founded by the Scottish researcher William Speirs Bruce in 1903, it was acquired then by the Argentine Government on February 22, 1904 and it has continued to run ever since.

The Observatory is run by the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, and its operation has allowed to develop a series of observations needed in particular to elaborate meteorological forecasts of the South Hemisphere, and also to show magnetic variations occurred in the southernmost region of the earth.

The Argentine Republic celebrates in 2004 one hundred years of this scientific presence which provides constantly a relevant knowledge to human learning.

The old stone construction used by the first observers, is today a modern scientific station with last generation equipment supporting various research programmes on earth sciences.