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National Geographic Society Museum of Exploration Opens June 26 in Washington
The National Geographic Society will open its Museum of Exploration on June 26. Time reported the facility reimagines the organization's longtime headquarters with exhibits drawn from its archives and ongoing explorer work. It features archival photos, digital magazine covers, and a biodiversity display.
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Time reported. The new facility reimagines the organization's headquarters, which served as a base camp for explorers for more than a century. Planning for the project began in early 2020 during the pandemic.
Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society, said the organization used that period to imagine a 21st-century platform for its mission. The 138-year-old nonprofit operates the museum. Exhibits include a permanent display of photos from a century of archives, much of it previously unseen by the public.
An interactive digital installation will show National Geographic magazine covers from the first issue in 1888 through current editions. The geoverse, a 270-degree theater, will present rotating shows for students. Explorers Landing, a space sponsored by Rolex, will highlight the achievements of National Geographic explorers.
Rolex also supported the general creation of the base camp. An upcoming exhibit will feature photography by National Geographic Explorer Joel Sartore, founder of the Photo Ark, with animal portraits that emphasize global biodiversity. Tiefenthaler said the museum places sustainability and climate action at the center.
Visitors will see suggested actions such as avoiding pesticides and planting wildflowers. She added that she hopes people leave thinking of steps they can take in their everyday lives.
