National Geographic Society

Hello! We are the National Geographic Society. Have you ever wondered about the highest mountains, the deepest oceans, or the amazing animals that share our world? We have, too! That’s why we were created a long, long time ago, in the year 1888. We began as a group of people who loved science and adventure. Our main goal was to help everyone learn more about the incredible planet we all call home. From the very beginning, we wanted to explore the world, learn its secrets, and help take care of it for all the people who would come after us.

Once our explorers started making amazing discoveries, we knew we had to share them with everyone. How could we show people what we were seeing? We decided to create a magazine. To make it special and easy to spot, we gave it a bright yellow border that is now famous all around the world. Inside the magazine, we filled the pages with incredible pictures that showed what faraway places really looked like. We also told exciting stories about adventures and discoveries. We didn't just write stories, though. We also helped explorers by giving them money for their important trips. For example, we helped an explorer named Hiram Bingham travel to the tall mountains of Peru. There, he was able to show the world a hidden, ancient city called Machu Picchu that had been lost for a very long time.

Our desire to learn didn't stop at lost cities on land. We wanted to understand every part of our world, from the bottom of the sea to the treetops of the jungle. We supported a famous ocean explorer named Jacques Cousteau. He sailed across the globe and dove deep into the blue sea. With special cameras, he was able to show people on land all the colorful fish and amazing creatures that live beneath the waves. We also helped a scientist named Jane Goodall, who wanted to understand animals better. She bravely went to Africa to live near chimpanzees in the wild. By watching them carefully and patiently, she learned so much about how they live, think, and feel.

Today, so many years after we started, our work continues. We are still a group of explorers, scientists, and storytellers who want to understand and protect our planet. We still share what we learn, but now we do it in more ways than ever before. You can find our stories and pictures in our magazine, on TV shows, and online. A very important part of our job today is working hard to protect animals and the wild places where they live. Our goal is to make sure our planet stays beautiful and healthy for the future. We want to keep inspiring people to be curious so that you can become an explorer, too, and make your own wonderful discoveries.