The second Grinnell expedition of 1853–1855 was an American effort, financed by Henry Grinnell, to determine the fate of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition to the North Pole. Led by Elisha Kent Kane, the team explored areas northwest of Greenland, now called Grinnell Land. While failing to determine the fate of Franklin, the expedition set a new record for northward penetration and discovered the long-sought open Polar Sea. Kane collected valuable geographical, climate, and magnetic observations before abandoning the brig Advance to the pack ice in 1855. While three crew members were lost, the epic journey of the survivors inspired the public as a vivid tale of Arctic survival.