Moon added to list of vulnerable sites by World Monuments Fund

A bird is silhouetted against the full moon rising over Zurich, Switzerland, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP) (Michael Buholzer/AP)

For the first time, a location beyond Earth has been listed as vulnerable by the World Monuments Fund, an international nonprofit that every two years highlights 25 heritage sites at risk.

The Fund included the moon on its 2025 Watch list due to the dawn of a new Space Age and the moon hosting more than 90 historic lunar sites relating to humanity’s presence on it, according to a news release from the group.

These sites include the Tranquility Base where humans first set foot on the moon.

The landing site preserves astronaut Neil Armstrong’s boot print, as well as more than 100 other artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission, according to the Fund.

“For the first time, the Moon is included on the Watch to reflect the urgent need to recognize and preserve the artifacts that testify to humanity’s first steps beyond Earth— a defining moment in our shared history,” said President and CEO, Bénédicte de Montlaur in the release.

“Items such as the camera that captured the televised moon landing; a memorial disk left by astronauts Armstrong and (Buzz) Aldrin; and hundreds of other objects are emblematic of this legacy. Yet, they face mounting risks amidst accelerating lunar activities, undertaken without adequate preservation protocols,” she continued.

“The inclusion of the Moon underscores the universal need for proactive and cooperative strategies to protect heritage — whether on Earth or beyond — that reflect and safeguard our collective narrative,” she added.

Since the Fund launched its Watch list in 1996, it has contributed more than $120 million to projects at almost 350 Watch sites, with the visibility it provides the sites generating an additional $300 million, according to the release.

Other sites listed face major challenges such as climate change, excess tourism, natural disasters and conflict.

Those making it onto this year’s list include Gaza’s historic urban fabric, with Israel’s war in the Strip devastating many lives there, as well as the region’s culture and historic buildings, such as mosques and churches.

Also on the list is Kyiv’s Teacher’s House, a heavily damaged, former legislative seat that highlights the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on communities and heritage in Ukraine.