National Geographic Museum of Exploration Opens June 26, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

The National Geographic Society will open its Museum of Exploration (MOE) and remodeled global headquarters on June 26, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The 100,000-square-foot public space, part of the 130-year-old campus, features a swooping architectural silhouette, a grand entrance, and an outdoor pavilion. Inside, fluid forms with wooden details complement the organization's environmentalist mission. MOE will showcase over a century of archival materials for the first time, including maps, behind-the-scenes filmmaking perspectives, and a digital research station with over 300 photos, film clips, artifacts, and sound recordings. The Rolex Explorers Landing gallery, organized into four thematic sections—Spark, Trek, Purpose, and Impact—highlights National Geographic Explorers. The exhibition 'In Focus: Photographs of National Geographic' features influential images from George Shiras' first nighttime wildlife photo to Ami Vitale's photo of the last male northern white rhinoceros. A temporary exhibition, 'Photo Ark: Animals of Earth,' presents wildlife portraits by Joel Sartore. CEO Jill Tiefenthaler stated that the museum merges storytelling with experiential technology. Signage is in English and Spanish, with Braille, captioning, visual descriptions, and ASL. General admission is $29.99, with discounts through Museums for All. The renovation was funded by donations and a major 2023 Rolex gift.