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The National Geographic Society founded in Washington, D.C.

When
1888–1897
Where
Cosmos Club; National Geographic Society
Episodes
2

The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C., on January 13, 1888, by 33 explorers and scientists. Gardiner Greene Hubbard served as the first president until 1897. The organization began as a club for academics and patrons, aiming to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge.

Episodes

  1. 1888–1897 · National Geographic SocietyHubbard's Presidency

    Gardiner Greene Hubbard served as the first president of the National Geographic Society from 1888 to 1897.

  2. January 13–27, 1888 · Cosmos ClubFounding Meeting at the Cosmos Club

    Thirty-three explorers and scientists gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., on January 13, 1888, to organize the society.

Background and detail

Background. The National Geographic Society began as a club for an elite group of academics and wealthy patrons interested in travel and exploration. On January 13, 1888, 33 explorers and scientists gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., to organize a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge. After preparing a constitution, the society was incorporated two weeks later on January 27.

Leadership. Gardiner Greene Hubbard, an American lawyer and financier, was a founder and the first president of the National Geographic Society, serving from 1888 to 1897. His son-in-law, Alexander Graham Bell, succeeded him as president in 1897. The society's interests included geography, archaeology, natural science, and the promotion of environmental and historical conservation.

People involved

Sources

  1. National Geographic Society Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03
  2. Gardiner Greene Hubbard Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-15

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.