About

The Explorers Club Washington Group (ECWG) is the largest regional chapter of The Explorers Club, the international multidisciplinary organization founded in 1904 in New York City to advance field research, scientific exploration, and the enduring human instinct to explore. With more than 200 active members, the ECWG is one of the most dynamic and engaged chapters, bringing together scientists, conservationists, engineers, astronauts, educators, and field researchers whose work spans the globe—from the ocean depths to outer space. Membership is open to Explorers Club members residing in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia.

The Explorers Club’s mission is to encourage and support the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space. Its members represent a remarkable spectrum of disciplines, from oceanography, biology, and anthropology to aerospace, climate science, and conservation. Among their ranks are some of the world’s most accomplished explorers, whose collective efforts continue to expand humanity’s understanding of our planet and beyond.

The ECWG proudly contributes to this legacy by supporting the next generation of explorers through its Exploration and Field Research Grants Program. Each year, the Group awards grants to graduate students enrolled in colleges and universities within Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. These grants fund field research and scientific expeditions conducted under the guidance of qualified scientists or educators, in keeping with The Explorers Club’s enduring objective: “to broaden our knowledge of the universe.”

Through fellowship, programs, and community engagement, the ECWG serves as a vibrant hub for explorers in the nation’s capital—linking discovery, education, and collaboration in the spirit of exploration that has defined our Club for more than a century.