World Monuments Fund

The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is an international non-profit non-governmental organization, founded in 1965 by Colonel James A. Gray. Since its creation, the WMF has been dedicated to preserving cultural and architectural heritage worldwide. In 2025, the organization celebrates its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of hard work and dedication to protecting significant historical and cultural sites.

WMF is headquartered in New York and has offices and affiliates in several countries, including France, Peru, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Their mission is to safeguard exceptional monuments around the world, using the highest international standards for conservation. Throughout its history, WMF has worked on over 700 sites in 112 countries, raising more than $300 million to support these projects.

One of WMF’s notable initiatives is the "Modernism at Risk" program, launched in 2006 with the support of the furniture company Knoll. This program aims to protect and conserve modernist architecture. In 2008, WMF established the biennial World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize to recognize outstanding efforts in this field.

WMF also uses cultural heritage protection as a tool to support local communities and improve their lives. They work in partnership with civil society actors, donors, and international governments to protect endangered sites and promote responsible tourism and resilience to climate change. Every year, WMF publishes the World Monuments Watch list, which highlights at-risk sites and mobilizes resources for their conservation.

In addition to their conservation efforts, WMF organizes events to honor individuals and organizations that have made exceptional contributions to cultural heritage preservation. For example, the Hadrian Gala honors "Champions of Conservation" for their commitment and extraordinary contributions to protecting the world’s cultural heritage. WMF is also active on social media, where they share information about their projects and initiatives.

They have a presence on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, engaging the public and raising awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage. In 2025, WMF announced a partnership with Accor, a global leader in hospitality, to protect four iconic sites listed on the 2025 World Monuments Watch. This partnership aims to strengthen WMF’s heritage preservation efforts by involving local communities and promoting responsible tourism.

WMF also offers educational and training programs. They have shared approximately 2,000 images of monuments and architectural sites with Artstor, a digital platform that allows researchers and students to access visual resources for their studies and research. In summary, the World Monuments Fund is an organization dedicated to preserving cultural and architectural heritage worldwide. Their work includes the conservation of historical sites, the promotion of education and training, and collaboration with local and international partners to protect and preserve our shared cultural heritage.

"We work with local communities around the world to safeguard irreplaceable cultural heritage."