For years, the World Monuments Fund has sought to draw attention and resources to endangered cultural sites such as Machu Picchu in Peru, temples in Cambodia, and the Old City of Taiz in Yemen.
But this year’s list of dangerous places goes even further afield, all the way to the moon.
“The moon seems to be far outside our reach,” said Benedict de Monroe, the group’s president and chief executive. “But now that humanity is moving more and more into space, we think it’s the perfect time to sort ourselves out.”
Concerned that a new space race could worsen space debris and expand tourism in and out of orbit, the organization listed the moon as one of 25 endangered species in its 2025 World Monuments Watch. . The list at risk from challenges such as climate change, tourism, conflict and natural disasters includes the Gaza Strip, areas with damaged historic buildings in Kiev, and the eroding coastlines of Kenya and the United States. are.
The group warns that more than 90 sensitive sites on the moon’s surface could be affected as more wealthy people go to space and more governments aim to send humans into space. In particular, some researchers are concerned about Tranquility, the Apollo 11 landing site where astronaut Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon.
The protection of cultural heritage is usually decided by each country, making the task of managing important international heritage sites like the Moon more difficult.
Since 2020, the United States and 51 other countries have signed the Artemis Accords, a non-binding agreement that outlines expected norms in outer space. The rules included a call to preserve space heritage, including “robotic landing sites, artifacts, spacecraft, and other evidence of celestial activity.” Another binding United Nations agreement provides protection for lunar ruins, but little progress has been made in getting major countries to sign it.
“The moon doesn’t belong to anyone,” de Monroe said. “It’s a symbol of hope and the future.”
For almost 30 years, the World Monuments Fund has received nominations for the Watch List of endangered places from heritage experts around the world. This list is an educational and promotional tool to assist other nonprofit organizations in their efforts to preserve cultural heritage.
The Aerospace Heritage Division of the International Council on Monuments and Sites has placed the month on its non-profit watch list. Guy Djolayev, the department’s director, said members wanted sustainable management because “there are a huge number of man-made objects on the surface.”
In addition to lunar orbiters and rangers dotting the moon’s surface representing scientific achievements, there are also relics of human culture. The Apollo 11 astronauts left a golden olive branch to symbolize peace, and last year a SpaceX rocket launched a lander carrying 125 miniature sculptures by artist Jeff Koons onto the moon.
And while many experts agree that our lunar heritage needs better protection, we question the World Monuments Fund’s assertion that space heritage faces imminent danger. There were also experts who presented.
“It’s a bit drastic that we need to protect the entire moon from tourism and science,” said the space lawyer who helped found For All Moonkind, a nonprofit organization that advocates for an international framework to protect lunar heritage. Michelle Hanlon says:
He said many future scientific expeditions will head to locations far from previous landings, but tourist spacecraft could disturb historic sites unless better regulations are in place. Hanlon added that another danger could arise from a malfunctioning satellite colliding with the moon’s surface. “The moon doesn’t have an atmosphere to burn them out,” she said.
Staff at the World Monuments Fund look forward to a future where space travel becomes more common. “We’re not far away from visiting the moon for recreational purposes,” said Jonathan Bell, vice president of programs. “We believe that putting the Moon on the watch list is a great opportunity to advocate for the need and value of preservation.”
