National Geographic plans to open a 100,000-square-foot museum in downtown D.C. by mid-2026, the organization announced Monday.

The National Geographic Society just announced plans for a huge new museum at its Dupont Circle campus. Why it matters: The Museum of Exploration, slated to open in mid-2026, is the biggest expansion in the educational nonprofit's 136-year history,

When it opens in mid-2026, the museum will include Nat Geo-exclusively curated exhibits, a state-of-the-art theater, an immersive "walking dark ride", an education center, and a showcase of important pieces of the company's archive.

The National Geographic Society is opening a new museum at its downtown D.C. campus that will be substantially larger than its former museum that closed last year.