The information system PANGAEA - Network for Geological and Environmental Data (http://www.pangaea.de) is archiving and distributing data related to Global Change research focussing on climate variability with respect to the marine environment and the solid earth, financed as a long-term data archive. The system is engaged as a public 'library' making published data available to the scientific community by use of the Internet. Analytical data are stored in a relational database in a consistent format with their related meta-information following international standards and protocols. Data and information of any type (graphics, maps, numbers, photos, text) are georeferenced in space and/or time also allowing the extraction of individually configured subsets. PANGAEA is operated by AWI and MARUM on a long-term perspective and funding, both institutes providing the technical infrastructure for the system operation including support for data management in projects and for individual scientists. The use of PANGAEA with examples from life science, physical science, and geoscience as archived from research in Antarctica is presented.