On January 27, 1888, a small but ambitious organization was incorporated in Washington, D.C., with a lofty mission: “the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge.” That organization was the National Geographic Society. More than a century later, it has grown into one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world—and one of the most recognizable names in global storytelling.
Humble (and Elite) Beginnings
The National Geographic Society didn’t begin as a mass-media powerhouse. It started as a club for an elite circle of academics, explorers, and wealthy patrons with a shared fascination for travel, science, and discovery. The original 33 founders were an eclectic mix—geographers, teachers, explorers, lawyers, cartographers, military officers, and financiers. What united them was a belief that Americans, living in a time of rapid invention, expansion, and mass communication, were becoming increasingly curious about the wider world.
One notable figure soon joined their ranks: Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, who served as the Society’s second president from 1898 to 1903.
The Birth of an Iconic Magazine
Just nine months after its founding, the Society published the first issue of National Geographic magazine. Initially, it was a scholarly journal written largely for academics. Photographs didn’t appear until 1905, a decision that would eventually define the magazine’s legacy.
The now-famous yellow border made its debut in February 1910, and with it came a visual identity that would become instantly recognizable around the globe. National Geographic quickly earned a reputation for groundbreaking photography. It was among the first major publications to regularly publish color photographs and the first to print natural-color images of the sky, the sea, and both the North and South Poles.
Over time, the magazine became world-famous for its richly illustrated articles exploring distant landscapes, cultures, and natural wonders. Issues were rarely thrown away—many subscribers kept them for years, and old copies still turn up in thrift stores as collectibles. Although National Geographic is one of the oldest magazines still in print in the United States, it announced in 2023 that it would stop selling issues on newsstands.
Funding Discovery and Exploration
The success of the magazine did more than inform readers—it funded exploration. Revenue from National Geographic supported scientific expeditions and research projects around the world. The first Society-sponsored scientific expedition took place in 1890 and was later documented in the July 1902 issue of the magazine. Led by geologist Dr. Israel Russell, the expedition surveyed and mapped the Mount Saint Elias region of North America. During that journey, explorers identified Canada’s highest peak: Mount Logan.
Since then, the Society has funded more than 15,000 scientific expeditions and research initiatives worldwide. Its support helped Robert Peary journey to the North Pole, enabled Richard Byrd to become the first person to fly over the South Pole, allowed Jacques Cousteau to explore the depths of the sea, and gave Jane Goodall the resources to observe wild chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Along the way, National Geographic-backed projects have mapped the ocean floor, advanced climate change research, and documented endangered cultures and species.
An Unexpected Role in the Cold War
National Geographic has been headquartered in Washington, D.C., since its founding—a fact that once placed it in an unlikely geopolitical spotlight. During the Cold War, the Society’s headquarters sat just down the street from the Soviet embassy. From the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, this proximity turned Nat Geo into a quiet front line of espionage.
During that period, FBI agents operated a clandestine surveillance office inside the Society’s headquarters to monitor the nearby embassy. To conceal the operation, the FBI referred to it internally as the “Mid-Atlantic Research Committee,” an innocuous name for a covert intelligence effort hidden within a venerable scientific institution.
National Geographic Today
Today, National Geographic is far more than a magazine. The brand spans television channels, documentaries, books, podcasts, and a massive digital presence. Its reach on social media alone is staggering: as of November 2024, National Geographic’s Instagram account boasts 280 million followers, making it the third most-followed account not owned by an individual celebrity.
From a small gathering of curious minds in 1888 to a global multimedia powerhouse, National Geographic has remained true to its founding mission—helping people understand the world, and inspiring them to care about it.