For the first time in history, a location beyond Earth has been designated as vulnerable by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), an international nonprofit that highlights 25 heritage sites at risk every two years. The Moon has made it onto the 2025 Watch list due to the increasing pace of lunar activities in the new Space Age, according to a statement from the organisation.
"The Moon is included on the Watch to reflect the urgent need to recognise and preserve the artifacts that testify to humanity's first steps beyond Earth - a defining moment in our shared history," said Benedicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of WMF.
The Moon hosts over 90 historic lunar sites connected to humanity's presence in space. Among these is Tranquility Base, the site of humanity's first steps on the moon, where astronaut Neil Armstrong's iconic boot print and more than 100 artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission remain preserved, the Fund noted.
Ms Montlaur added, "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."
The Moon was included in the list due to the "universal need for proactive and cooperative strategies to protect heritage - whether on Earth or beyond - that reflect and safeguard our collective narrative," she said.
Other sites on the list include sites facing challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, conflict, and excess tourism. Among the 2025 entries are Gaza's historic urban fabric, severely damaged by Israel's ongoing war, with cultural landmarks like mosques and churches destroyed. Kyiv's Teacher's House, a heavily damaged former legislative seat, also represents the toll of the Russia-Ukraine war on heritage and communities.
The Fund has contributed over $120 million to projects at almost 350 Watch sites since its inception in 1996, with the visibility generated by the list attracting an additional $300 million.
The WMF's report coincided with SpaceX launching two private robotic landers to the Moon from Florida. NASA's Artemis programme also aims to send humans back to the Moon later this decade, with plans to establish a permanent settlement on the lunar surface as a stepping stone for human missions to Mars.
