Explore Our World

Get the latest updates about our critical work to explore and protect our planet.

Explorers are infinitely curious people who are passionate about our planet and making it a better place.

In the depths of the ocean, Explorers reveal underwater worlds that sustain life on Earth. In subterranean caves, they investigate our ancient past and the very roots of humanity. At the edge of extinction, they courageously work to end wildlife trafficking and protect species at risk. On the frontlines of conservation, they help safeguard fragile ecosystems for future generations. They are driving cutting-edge technology and pushing the limits of what is possible.

Our mission

We use the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.

We invest every philanthropic dollar—100 percent of donations—directly into our Explorers and programs.

Meet our Explorers

We welcome Explorers from around the globe and seek to build a community reflecting the diversity of our world.

Land

Steve Boyes & Koketso (Koki) Mookodi

Conservationist and founder of the Okavango Wilderness Project, Boyes works to preserve Africa’s wilderness areas and the species that depend upon them.

Conservation education and community mentor Koketso (Koki) Mookodi works to establish a successful conservation education program in the Okavango Delta.

"Modern conservation is about the preservation of our natural and cultural heritage for the benefit of people, wildlife, biodiversity and ecosystems in perpetuity."

Steve Boyes

Okavango Wilderness Project

"My happiest moments are underwater."

Enric Sala

Conservationist and Founder of Pristine Seas

Ocean

Enric Sala

Conservationist and founder of Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, and media to inspire country leaders to protect the last wild places in the ocean.

Wildlife

Joel Sartore

Founder of the Photo Ark, a 25-year effort to photograph every species in human care around the globe.

“At the end of your lives, in your declining hours, when you look in the mirror, what are you going to see? Are you going to see someone who did everything they could to protect life on Earth?"

Joel Sartore

Photo Ark

"We're trying to give them the power to take charge of their own stories. We want to give them a voice."

Kirsten Elstner

Photo Camp

History and Cultures

Kirsten Elstner

Photographer and Director of Photo Camp, a program teaching young people from underserved communities, including at-risk and refugee teens, how to use photography to tell their own stories.

Human Ingenuity

Tara Roberts

Storyteller and podcast host documenting stories about a group of Black scuba divers searching for lost shipwrecks of the transatlantic slave trade.

"In this time of spiraling fear of the ‘other,’ we must realize that our fates are tied to each other, as well as to the planet."

Tara Roberts

Into the Depths

Our global community of solution-seekers

The National Geographic Society funds more than 200 Explorers a year with diverse ideas, talents, backgrounds, and expertise. Wherever their paths take them—in the lab, behind the lens, in the classroom, or in the field—Explorers make profound contributions that help to realize our mission and vision.

Ciril Jazbec

Slovenian documentary photographer and film director aiming to raise awareness about the deterioration of our planet and the increasing impact of the climate crisis.

Diego Ponce de Leon Barido

Working on information and communication solutions and ubiquitous data products for reducing waste in cities of Latin America.

Giovanni Chimienti

Zoologist and marine biologist studying corals and deep-sea environments in the Mediterranean Sea.

Ineza Umuhoza Grace

Eco-feminist working towards climate justice through education and advocacy.

Keolu Fox

Genome scientist focusing on the connection between raw data as a resource and the emerging value of genomic health data from Indigenous communities.

Kiliii Yuyan

Photographer illuminating stories of the Arctic and human communities connected to the land.

KM Reyes

Community organizer and conservationist working to solve the world's greatest environmental challenges with sustainable solutions.

Malaika Vaz

TV presenter and wildlife filmmaker focused on telling stories about endangered wildlife, the human-wildlife interface, and the illegal wildlife trade.

Octavio Aburto

Photographer focusing his outreach and scientific research on the conservation of marine habitats and commercially important species and their fisheries.

Sandesh Kadur

Award-winning wildlife documentary filmmaker and photography book author exposing the need to conserve threatened species and habitats around the world.

Alison Criscitiello

Ice core scientist and high-altitude mountaineer exploring the history of sea ice in polar regions using ice core chemistry.

National Geographic is where education meets exploration.
Explore educational opportunities that ignite the spirit of
exploration and bring the wonder of the world to learners.

Learn with us

With a wide range of changing exhibitions,
the National Geographic Museum is an ideal destination
for curious people of all ages. Purchase your ticket for
“Beyond King Tut,” the Museum’s latest immersive exhibition!

Visit Us

Photo Credits from top of page (excluding Explorer headshots): Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock, Mark Thiessen, Manu San Félix, Joel Sartore, Ivan Valencia, Mark Thiessen

Explore Our World

Our mission

Meet our Explorers

Steve Boyes & Koketso (Koki) Mookodi

Enric Sala

Joel Sartore

Kirsten Elstner

Tara Roberts

Our global community of solution-seekers

Ciril Jazbec

Diego Ponce de Leon Barido

Giovanni Chimienti

Ineza Umuhoza Grace

Keolu Fox

Kiliii Yuyan

KM Reyes

Malaika Vaz

Octavio Aburto

Sandesh Kadur

Alison Criscitiello

National Geographic Headquarters

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