In a first, Moon is now threatened heritage site: World Monuments Fund explains why

The moon has been added to the list of endangered heritage sites due to concerns about potential damage and looting from future commercial space missions.

The World Monuments Fund (WMF), which typically focuses on threatened cultural sites on Earth, has included the moon in its latest watchlist, the first since 2022

Why was the moon added to endangered heritage sites list?

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Bénédicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of WMF, told The Art Newspaper that the moon was included because of "mounting risks amidst accelerating lunar activities" that lack proper preservation measures. She stressed the need to protect artefacts that represent humanity’s first ventures beyond Earth, describing this as a “defining moment in our shared history.”

On Wednesday, SpaceX launched two lunar landers in preparation for future space missions. These activities, along with private lunar tourism expected after NASA’s Artemis III mission in 2027, are raising concerns about the impact on lunar landmarks including sites such as the footprints left by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo 11 mission.

“For the first time, the moon is included … to reflect the urgent need to recognise and preserve the artefacts that testify to humanity’s first steps beyond Earth,” said de Montlaur. She added that items like the camera used to capture the moon landing, the memorial disc left by Armstrong and Aldrin, and other objects embody this legacy.

“Safeguarding lunar heritage will prevent damage from accelerating private and governmental activities in space, ensuring these artefacts endure for future generations,” she added.

The full list of endangered sites includes:

Barotse Floodplain Cultural Landscape, Zambia

Belfast Assembly Rooms, Northern Ireland, UK

Bhuj Historic Water Systems, India

Buddhist Grottoes of Maijishan and Yungang, China

Chapel of the Sorbonne, France

Chief Ogiamien’s House, Nigeria

Cinema Studio Namibe, Angola

Erdene Zuu Buddhist Monastery, Mongolia

Gaza Historic Urban Fabric, Palestine

Historic City of Antakya, Turkey

Historic Lighthouses of Maine, US

Jewish Heritage of Debdou, Morocco

Kyiv Teacher’s House, Ukraine

Monasteries of the Drino Valley, Albania

Musi River Historic Buildings, India

Hokuriku Region, Japan

Noto Peninsula Heritage Sites, Japan

Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System in South America

Ruins of Old Belchite, Spain

Serifos Historic Mining Landscape, Greece

Swahili Coast Heritage Sites (Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Terracotta Sculptures of Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

The Great Trading Path, US

The Moon

Waru Waru Agricultural Fields, Peru

Water Reservoirs of Tunis Medina, Tunisia

(With inputs from agencies)