For the first time, a location beyond Earth has been listed as vulnerable by the World Monuments Fund, an international nonprofit that every two years highlights 25 heritage sites at risk.

Specialists fear planned commercial flights could compromise lunar heritage, including Neil Armstrong’s bootprints.

The organization said that more than 90 important sites on the moon could risk destruction if space tourism is left unregulated.

Every year, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) compiles a list of heritage sites it deems at risk, with the aim of building awareness and mobilizing action. These sites are usually Earth-bound, as you’d expect. But this year, the nonprofit has included on its World Monuments Watch an otherworldly entry: the Moon.

Every two years, the nonprofit World Monuments Fund releases a list of cultural heritage sites it deems most at risk of disappearing because of threats like war or climate change. The line-up of landmarks usually includes historic temples,

While the moon's nomination concentrated on the Apollo 11 landing site, WMF is considering the wider framework needed to protect historic sites connected with space exploration Green Grasshopper via Unsplash The World Monuments Fund’s (WMF) 2025 Watch list includes 25 sites,

The WMF's concern isn't just about physical preservation but also about maintaining the historical and cultural value these sites represent. Artifacts left on the Moon, such as the golden olive branch from Apollo 11 symbolising peace, embody more than just scientific milestones; they are bearers of human culture and history.

Key artefacts include the pristine footprint left by Buzz Aldrin at Tranquility Base, the site of the first moon landing in 1969, and a plaque commemorating 14 American and Soviet astronauts who died on missions before 1971.

The moon has been placed on a list of threatened heritage sites. This is the first time a site in outer space has been put on the list by the World Monument Fund. The move is aimed at protecting the first lunar landing location.

The Moon has been listed as a vulnerable site- the first time a location beyond Earth has been categorised as such. The World Monument Fund, an international nonprofit, highlights 25 sites at risk every two years.

For the first time, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) has included the moon in its 2025 list of 25 at-risk cultural heritage sites. Also joining that list this year are Gaza, the Swahili Coast, and the Turkish city of Antakya.