Yellow Carpet: National Geographic Museum Welcomes Explorers, Opens This Friday

Real-life explorers, VIPs and loyal patrons were treated to an official unveiling of the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration on June 16 as they walked the yellow carpet — an homage to the magazine’s famed yellow frame — to the 100,000 square feet of interactive space and media.

The fanfare for the museum, which opens to the public on Friday, June 26, seemed to impress the inaugural visitors. There was inspiration in the air as the ribbon was cut for the museum at 1600 M St. NW.

National Geographic CEO Jill Tiefenthaler told the crowd, “We celebrate the past to awaken the future. … Exploration is the act of moving forward. Today is the defining moment for the age of exploration. Its greatest era is still ahead.”

“When we explore, we call down our ancestors,” remarked explorer and film maker James Cameron. “We owe so much to prehistory.”

This part of the Nat Geo campus has been transformed into an interactive, state-of-the-art storytelling hub. The major exhibition highlights include photographic showcases, interactive and multi-sensory spaces, the Archives & Magazine Gallery and Rolex Explorers Landing.

Editor’s note: The Georgetowner’s review of the new museum will appear on georgetowner.com on Thursday.

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