On January 27, 1888, a group of scientists and explorers established the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. The Society formed with the stated mission of promoting “the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge,” and nine months later, in October 1888, published the first issue of National Geographic magazine to broaden its audience. Since its founding, the National Geographic Society has supported many different exploration and research projects, including Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson’s successful expedition to the North Pole in 1909 and Jane Goodall’s research on chimpanzees in the 1960s. Its public programming, which today includes television and online resources, has long been an important component of the Society’s activities.
A photograph of the National Geographic Society building ca. 1921-1922. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress
A ticket to a lecture by Theodore Roosevelt, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. After his presidency, Roosevelt had undertaken high-profile expeditions to South America and Africa. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress
Opening History offers a number of materials related to the National Geographic Society and the magazine. Collections from the Library of Congress, including the Map Collections and An American Time Capsule, contain maps, ephemera and photographs documenting the Society and the prominent role it has played heightening public interest in international travel and culture.
Sowing Culture 