The station, which bears a name of Johann Gregor Mendel, the founder of modern genetic and climatology, was built by the Masaryk University close to the northern coast of Antarctic peninsula on the James Ross Island. The Mendel station is used for the antarctic research by the Faculty of Science of the Masaryk University as well as by many other Czech and foreign academic institutions. The scientific programmes include geology, physio-geography and biology.

The Czech Republic belongs to States that carry out a significant scientific research in Antarctica, which has enjoyed an international recognition. By the establishment of the Czech scientific station in Antarctica the Czech Republic met the requirements of Article IX, para 2 of the Antarctic Treaty, and a consultative status of the Czech Republic as a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty was recognized, effective from April 1, 2014. The consultative status is a higher institutional status which entitles the Czech Republic to participate actively in the above-mentioned consultative meetings with a right to vote and to jointly take part in decisions on the regulation of the use of Antarctica and its future.