National Geographic Live Series 2026-27 Season Overview
April 27, 2026From the forests of Mexico to the wild landscapes of Yellowstone to the buried streets of ancient Pompeii, the 2026–27 National Geographic Live Series brings you face-to-face with the people uncovering our world’s most fascinating stories. Through breathtaking photography, firsthand accounts, and never-before-seen footage, these explorers will take you on adventures across the globe.
Wild Wolves of Yellowstone – Explorer Doug Smith | November 4, 2026
Yellowstone National Park contains many stories, including one of the best case studies in wildlife conservation. Wildlife biologist and National Geographic Explorer Doug Smith led the project that reintroduced gray wolves in the 1990s. We join him on assignment in the park to see how the landscape has changed since the wolves arrived, including never-before-seen photos and videos of the quest to bring back this apex predator.
Doug Smith served as a wildlife biologist at Yellowstone National Park for nearly three decades and studied everything from beavers to birds. Most importantly, he led the Yellowstone Wolf Project, which reintroduced gray wolves to the park. He’s written numerous scientific publications and has been featured in four National Geographic television specials. He has also written and edited several books about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including the 2023 book: Yellowstone’s Birds: Diversity and Abundance in the World’s First National Park.
The Ghosts of Pompeii – Explorer Catie Barrett | January 27, 2026
Even thousands of years after its demise, the Roman Empire captivates us, and the ancient city of Pompeii is the place to understand it all. Volcanic ash created an unparalleled glimpse into the lives of ancient people who lived, worked, and played in this coastal city. We go on assignment with archaeologist Caitie Barrett to the latest dig sites to uncover new stories that still lie buried in this special place.
Caitie Barrett is an archaeologist who studies everyday life and cross-cultural interactions in the ancient Mediterranean. She teaches at Cornell University as Associate Professor of Classics. She also co-directs an archaeological excavation at Pompeii: the Casa della Regina Carolina (CRC) Project, which explores the ways that Roman houses shaped their inhabitants’ lived experiences. Her areas of specialization include Mediterranean and Egyptian archaeology, household archaeology, the archaeology of religion and ritual, and interactions between Egypt and the Greco-Roman world in antiquity. In addition to her current fieldwork at Pompeii, she has also excavated and surveyed a range of Bronze Age through early modern sites in Egypt, Greece, and the United States.
Chasing Monarchs – Explorer Jamie Rojo | April 29, 2026
Fifty years after the startling discovery that monarch butterflies spend winters in the forests of Mexico, photographer and National Geographic Explorer Jaime Rojo reveals this winged wonder of the insect world in new ways with never-before-seen visuals. Tag along with conservationists and citizen scientists who are helping this species avoid catastrophic threats, all through Jaime’s beautiful photos and videos.
Jaime Rojo is a photographer and a strong advocate of wilderness conservation and large-landscape connectivity. His goal is to capture images that can ultimately become tools for the creation of new protected areas. He is an International League of Conservation Photographers Senior Fellow, a trustee of the WILD Foundation, and the recipient of honors in competitions such as World Press Photo and Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
These aren’t lectures — they’re immersive experiences led by the explorers themselves. You’ll see the world through their lens, hear the stories behind the discoveries, and leave with a deeper understanding of the planet, its history, and the people working to protect it.
Three nights. Three unforgettable journeys. Season tickets are available now!
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