The Moon has been officially added to the list of endangered cultural heritage sites, a decision motivated by concerns about the potential looting and destruction of artifacts left behind by lunar missions, as indicated by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), an organization focused on cataloging and preserving the world’s cultural heritage. .
According to the entity, the inclusion of the Moon on the list reflects the increasing risks associated with commercial activities planned in space, which would be carried out without adequate preservation protocols.
Traditionally, the WMF list includes vulnerable cultural sites on Earth. This year’s selection, the first since 2022, also covers the Qhapaq Ñan, a pre-Hispanic road system in the Andes, as well as regions in Turkey and Japan that have been damaged by earthquakes.
Bénédicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of the WMF, highlighted that the Moon was included in the list of 25 sites due to “increased risks amid accelerated lunar activities”.
Recently, SpaceX launched two lunar modules to conduct research for future missions. Since the 1960s, only five countries – the United States, China, India, Japan and the former Soviet Union – have managed to land vehicles on the Moon.
With private trips to the lunar surface expected after NASA’s Artemis III mission, scheduled for mid-2027, the WMF expresses concern about the possible disturbance of historic sites such as the footprints left by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
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Montlaur emphasized the importance of recognizing and preserving artifacts that bear witness to humanity’s first steps beyond Earth. She highlighted that items such as the camera that captured the lunar landing broadcast and a memorial disc left by the astronauts are emblematic of this legacy.
The list of endangered heritage sites also includes sites in conflict zones such as Ukraine and Gaza, and areas at risk due to the climate crisis. Africa’s Swahili coastline, which encompasses places such as the old town of Lamu and Fort Jesus in Kenya, is also on the list, as is Mozambique Island, which is threatened by coastal erosion. The WMF has also identified sites that could benefit from more sustainable tourism, such as the Orthodox monasteries of the Drino Valley in Albania.
