The National Geographic Society, a global non-profit and leading creator of live events, experiences, and travelling exhibitions, is showing a double exhibition at Belgium’s iconic travel hub, Liège-Guillemins station.
The Greatest Wildlife Photographs and Pristine Seas: Bringing the Ocean Back are open at the station’s Europa Expo venue until 28 September. All content is available in English and French.
Aimed at families, schools, photography lovers and nature enthusiasts, the visually stunning and emotionally compelling experience aims to inspire environmental awareness and action.
The Greatest Wildlife Photographs
In The Greatest Wildlife Photographs, visitors can see some of the most arresting images ever published by National Geographic, which capture the emotion, intimacy, and natural beauty of the animal world.
Kathy Moran, acclaimed nature picture editor, has curated the exhibition to celebrate wildlife through images by National Geographic’s renowned photographers, including Michael “Nick” Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert, and David Doubilet, among others.
Visitors will explore the evolution of wildlife photography and see how technologies such as camera traps, remote imaging, and underwater technology have made it possible for photographers to capture images of animals in their natural environment.
National Geographic has been publishing extraordinary wildlife photography for 115 years. From its first publication of an image of a reindeer in 1903, it has been championing the art form and setting ever higher standards, resulting in an unparalleled legacy of artistic, scientific, and technical achievements.
Pristine Seas: Bringing the Ocean Back
Pristine Seas: Bringing the Ocean Back presents narrative, photography, and film from the National Geographic Pristine Seas project.
Over more than a decade, the project has carried out 44 expeditions to document and protect the ocean so it can heal, rebound, and regenerate. During this time, it has helped to establish 27 marine protected areas of ocean spanning more than 6.5 million square kilometres, an area over twice the size of India.
The exhibition underscores the importance of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a mechanism for protecting and restoring the world’s ocean, and shares how the Pristine Seas team supports Indigenous Peoples, local communities and governments in the creation of MPAs.
Spectacular imagery and narrative showcase the scientific methods used on these expeditions, from tropical coral reefs of the Southern Line Islands to the icebergs of the Antarctic Peninsula, and demonstrate the Pristine Seas project’s ongoing dedication to protecting ocean life.
Emily Dunham, chief campus and experiences officer at the National Geographic Society, says: “This exhibition exemplifies the Pristine Seas team’s dedication to educating audiences about the importance of Marine Protected Areas and their contribution to a healthy ocean which provides everything from oxygen, livelihoods and food for local communities and incredible beauty.
“With the team’s combined experience in exploration, scientific research and powerful storytelling, visitors will dive deep into strikingly beautiful stories and images from the wildest places in the ocean while learning how we must preserve it.”
The Pristine Seas project supports the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. This will benefit marine life, as well as communities through fisheries benefits, increased food security, and mitigation of climate change.
Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer in residence and Pristine Seas executive director, says: “To protect vital ocean places we need to combine research with compelling visuals, to inspire people through both minds and hearts. I am thrilled to bring over a decade of filming and science into the first National Geographic Pristine Seas exhibition.”
The National Geographic Society recently celebrated the launch of Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, US. Developed in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the Jane Goodall Institute, the multimedia exhibition honours the work of Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace.
