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Every Day is Earth Day

National Geographic Explorers are reshaping how we think about intelligent marine life. Join them as they inspire us to protect our ocean.

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Our Mission

Using the power of science, exploration, education,
and storytelling to illuminate and protect

the wonder of our world

our approach

Investing in a diverse, global community of changemakers

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Bold Explorers

We fund a global community of Explorers who investigate, test hypotheses, innovate, stretch their creativity, and push the boundaries of traditional thinking in ways that fundamentally change our world.

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Impactful Programs

We support and cultivate a portfolioof diverse, Explorer-led programs within our five focus areas to drive impact and fulfill our mission of illuminating and protecting our world.

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We leverage our global expertise, platforms, and unparalleled convening power to inspire educators, youth, and future Explorers and help more people learn about, care for, and protect our world.

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Responsible Stewardship

Our innovative business model allows us to invest every philanthropic dollar—100% of donations—directly to our Explorers and programs. Join us to support what matters most to you.

Mind the Water Gap

Understanding freshwater is critical for life on Earth and is an integral part of the National Geographic Society’s mission.

Our Focus

Maximizing impact
in five key areas

Ocean

Land

Wildlife

Histories & Cultures

Human Ingenuity

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Revealing and protecting underwater worlds

Our Explorers discover, understand, and conserve marine and coastal systems and inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect the ocean.

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Preserving and protecting land environments

Our Explorers explore, understand, and conserve terrestrial and freshwater systems and inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect our lands, lakes, and rivers.

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Protecting and conserving wildlife

Our Explorers inspire and empower local and global audiences to better understand and protect wildlife, including animals, plants and fungi.

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Understanding our past and protecting our future

Our Explorers work to preserve cultural knowledge, better understand human histories, cultures, practices, diversity, and evolution—past and present, center communities, and inform and inspire global audiences with stories or lessons about humanity.

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Supporting innovation

Our Explorers are taking novel and inventive approaches to address critical challenges and produce insights that illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.

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Join Us

Double Your Impact for Earth Month

Earth Day is April 22, but at the National Geographic Society, we are celebrating throughout the entire month of April. This Earth Month, you can join National Geographic Explorers as they illuminate some of nature’s most intelligent marine life and uncover the hidden wonders of our world. Donate during April, and your gift will be DOUBLED thanks to the support of generous donors. That means every dollar will go twice as far to protect the wonder of our planet.

Donate

changing the world

Your impact begins today!

450 +

Active Explorer-led projects in more than 140 countries

$ 324

Average gift amount donated to the Society

100 %

Amount of donations that go to fund mission-driven work and Explorer programs

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Support our Explorersand their research

Your donation today will fund on-the-ground research and other mission programs that illuminate and protect our world through science, exploration, education, and storytelling.

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Protect marine lifeand ecosystems

Give a gift today to help explore and protect our planet's threatened ocean ecosystems. Your donation will support Pristine Seas and our other ocean programs.

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Stories from the COVID-19 emergency fund

Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to give emergency funding to storytellers around the world who are on the frontlines of COVID-19. Explore some of their projects.

Our promise

Supporting future changemakers

"There are so many challenges that girls and women in Afghanistan face, especially in rural areas, every day. I am not just interested in setting up a school for girls. I’m interested in the lifelong impact that this kind of education can have in not just one girl’s life, but also in that of her family and the generations that come after her."

Shabana Basij-Rasikh

2023 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year and
Co-founder of School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA)

Stories of Impact

Meet Our Explorers

Meet Our Explorers

Our community of Explorers is working to inspire, educate, preserve, and protect the wonder of our world.

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GRANTS AND INVESTMENTS

Our Funding Strategy

Our Funding Strategy

We invest in individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of our focus areas.

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Our commitment to dei

Cultivating an environment of opportunity, mutual respect,
and belonging

Learning from our past, examining our present, and building a more inclusive future.

We believe we can only achieve our mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world when people of every race, identity, experience, and ability have a role in our work. Although we have much more work to do, the Society has made strides to achieve and maintain equity.

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our insights

Latest perspectives, news, and stories

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Brazil’s mangrove forests represent untapped blue carbon banks, says new study from National Geographic Explorers

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National Geographic Explorer’s ‘Unplastify Worldwide’ Program Opens for Registration in Spanish-Speaking Classrooms

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National Geographic Society Launches the Wildlife Intelligence Project

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Photo Credits (from top of page): Jason Gulley, Beverly Joubert, Sam Kittner, Joshua Irwandi, Chris Mbanza Schwagga, Manu San Felix, David Gill Below: Michael Nichols, Andy Mann, Paul Nicklen, Ami Vitale, Christian Tryon, Kenneth Garrett, Mark Thiessen

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FAQs

Is National Geographic Society reliable? ›

Achieving our ambitious mission hinges on cultivating a culture that's grounded in honesty, fairness, transparency, respect, dignity, and sensitivity. These values are among the many reasons that the National Geographic Society is one of the most recognized and trusted brands in the world.

Are National Geographics from the 60s worth anything? ›

Issues from the 1960s or later bring nothing at all. Books and maps dated after 1930 also have little or no interest to collectors. Condition is important. Missing pictures, wormholes and mold are the kiss of death in the world of second-hand magazines.

Why is the National Geographic channel shutting down? ›

As readers gravitate towards digital platforms and consume content in alternative ways, traditional print publications like magazines have experienced a decrease in readership. This changing landscape could have influenced the decision to halt production in the US for National Geographic.

Are 1970s National Geographics worth anything? ›

Vintage Nat Geo mags unfortunately do not hold a high market resale value. If sold as a collection on eBay you may get $100 if you have over 50 magazines with no missing dates as a collection. Individual mags are under $2 each.

Is the National Geographic Society a scholarly source? ›

No, it's a popular magazine. The articles in National Geographic are written by journalists (including science communicators and photo-journalists) and curated by an editorial staff.

Is National Geographic considered a scholarly source? ›

National Geographic is a quality source, but it doesn't meet the criteria for a scholarly source.

Which National Geographics are worth a lot of money? ›

Among the rarest National Geographic Magazines is the issue of 1904 which is virtually impossible to acquire even in a lower, “fine” condition, because this was the very first year pictures were inserted into the magazine, as we explained earlier. Basically, the further you go back in time, the higher the price gets.

Which National Geographics are worth the most money? ›

TIL The most valuable issues of National Geographic are generally those published before 1907. The 1904 issue, its first publication containing images, is almost impossible to find in mint condition.

What should I do with old National Geographics? ›

You might check with nearby nursing and retirement homes, prisons, hospitals, or schools to see if they would welcome your donation. We have a Collectors Corner on our website, which includes a dealers list and a Collector's Forum where you can post a notice regarding your collection.

Is National Geographic going away? ›

National Geographic is leaving newsstands, sorta. It'll still do those newsstand “special editions” — but the monthly print mag is going subscriber-only. NatGeo is still in the top 10 US magazines people get on purpose. Focusing on people you know care about your work makes sense!

Did Disney buy out National Geographic? ›

Yes, The Walt Disney Company is part owner of National Geographic. The company “National Geographic Partners, LLC” is a joint venture with 73% owned by The Walt Disney Company and 27% owned by National Geographic Society.

Is National Geographic going to close? ›

National Geographic will stop selling its regular printed issues on newsstands : NPR. National Geographic will stop selling its regular printed issues on newsstands This is the last month that National Geographic Magazine will be sold on newsstands, following a year of layoffs.

Where to sell old National Geographic magazines? ›

Go to eBay and do a search for “National Geographic Magazine.” You'll find upwards of 20 thousand items listed. Where do your items fit in the scheme of things? Buying or selling on eBay can have unseen hazards for the uninitiated but a cautious and determined approach for either selling or buying has its rewards.

What magazines are worth money? ›

6 Most Valuable Magazines You Just Might Have
  • Santi Visalli / Archive Photos via Getty Images. ...
  • Playboy #1. ...
  • Harper's Weekly 1861-1865. ...
  • Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine April 1841. ...
  • Sports Illustrated April 1956. ...
  • Cosmopolitan April 1972. ...
  • Esquire April 1968. ...
  • Tips for Picking out the Best Vintage Magazines.
Feb 22, 2023

Is National Geographic magazine worth it? ›

Whether you like space, history, geography or anatomy, there will be something for you. The photos are, of course, extremely well done. I've always bought this magazine when traveling, but figured it was time for a subscription. If you are on the fence about it, I will say that it is well worth the money.

Is National Geographic education reliable? ›

The National Geographic Education website offers high-quality, standards-based resources relating to geography and other topics, such as world history, biology, oceanography, ecology, engineering, cartography, and current events.

Is National Geographic considered peer-reviewed? ›

Oceanography is peer-reviewed, whereas National Geographic is a popular-press title. Peer review is scientists' and other scholars' best effort to publish accurate information. Each article has been submitted by a researcher, and then reviewed by other scholars in the same field to ensure that it is sound science.

What is the rating of the National Geographic Society? ›

National Geographic Society Reviews FAQs

National Geographic Society has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 607 reviews left anonymously by employees.

Is National Geographic Kids a reliable source? ›

National Geographic is a universally respected resource, and National Geographic Kids is just as reliable, offering a wide range of age-appropriate content for elementary children that is especially helpful for school projects.

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