Wayback Wednesday in happening on April 21, 2021, during National Park Week, a nine-day celebration of the enjoyment and preservation of the nation's natural and cultural heritage. But you are encouraged to explore history in parks and your neighborhood any day of the year. Share your memories on social media using #WaybackWednesday and #NationalParkWeek.

National Park Week
There are even more ways to celebrate National Park Week this year. Each day has a special theme, find yours!

Join the #RecreateResponsibly Movement
If you are heading to a park to celebrate National Park Week, keep some basic safety tips in mind while you embark on your adventure.

Find Your Virtual Park
Stay connected with national parks across the country with online resources and virtual experiences.
Left image
Credit: Photo taken July 4, 1950 by A. Fawcett at Shenandoah National Park
Right image
Credit: Photo taken September 12, 2016 by Jen Johnson at Shenandoah National Park
Featured Stories

"Twenty & Odd"
Reflect on 400 years of African American experience through the lens of our nation's iconic places in this short film.

Proud of Our Past, Embracing Our Future
National Park Service employees share their rich Hispanic and Latino cultural heritage and history.

"Oh, Nicodemus!"
A short film woven together by a poem explains the epic story of an enduring town founded by former enslaved Americans settling in Kansas.

A Pueblo Perspective on Mesa Verde
Listen in while Ranger TJ Atsye gives an audio tour following the footsteps left behind by her Pueblo ancestors.

A Close-Up and Personal Focus
National Park Service employee Loren Yellow Bird shares history and heritage around Fort Union Trading Post NHS through his eyes.

"Koa Talking to Me"
Follow Junior's love for one of the rarest and most threatened trees in the world that helps him stay connected to his Hawaiian heritage.

Following Footprints in the White Sands
A recent discovery of fossilized human footprints gives a rare glimpse into family life in New Mexico during the Ice Age.

Travel Florida Shipwrecks
The Diving with a Purpose program and other underwater archeologists are part of an effort to document shipwrecks off the Florida coast.

A Great-Granddaughter's Reflections
One hundred years later, Michelle Duster reflects on the life and legacy of prominent civil rights leader Ida B. Wells.

Lowell Talks
A podcast series discusses topics and the community identity throughout the history of the town of Lowell, Massachusetts.

Flowing through Generations
The Niobrara River was a unique and wonderful place for generations of people that lived near it and traveled on its currents.

Park Postcards Podcasts
Hear the voices, memories, and experiences of rangers, partners, and visitors to step into Golden Gate National Recreation Area's past.
Spotlight on Women of the National Park Service
Women have played an important role in the in National Service since its creation in 1916. Take a look back at their experiences and how they shaped their roles over time.
Then & Now Galleries
View these photo galleries of parks and communities to see how these places looked in the past compared to now.

Cenozoic Fossil Parks
Compare landscapes and life in parks with what it once was according to the geology and fossil records

Cultural Landscapes
A growing collection of "then and now" photos of cultural landscapes gives insight into how these places have changed or stayed the same.

Civil War Defenses of Washington
Step into the past to explore a series of forts that protected the US capital during the Civil War now used as peaceful parks.

Arches National Park
The red-rock arches and pinnacles of the park continue to draw visitors from around the world as they did decades ago.

Cape Cod National Seashore
Get a glimpse of people recreating at the seashore in the past and how you can enjoy it today.

Gettysburg National Military Park
See the battlefield through a modern lens compared with famous historic post-battle photographs.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The "Ghost of the Golden Gate" online exhibit reveals the hidden history of familiar locations in San Francisco.

Gulf Islands National Seashore
Explore the forts and seashores of the Gulf Islands as visitors of the past saw these places and people continue to today.

Point Reyes National Seashore
Reveal the hidden history of familiar locations throughout the national seashore with a large collection of historic images.

Shenandoah National Park
Travel Skyline Drive and throughout the park to see how the classic trip to Shenandoah has changed—or hasn't.

Tumacacori National Historical Park
Tour historic buildings and ruins from a time when the park was a cultural crossroads for many people to see preservation in action.

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Take a look at the White Haven estate where the Grant family lived in the 19th century and how it looks today.
For Kids (and Kids at Heart)
Check out these games and activities to learn more about the past.
"The Magic Sash" Podcast Series
"The Magic Sash" podcasts and lesson plans introduce kids to iconic heroes of the movement for women to vote.

Classic Junior Ranger Videos
A series of Junior Ranger videos shows how life as a kid homesteading in the 1800s was very different (or maybe the same) as life today.

Teaching with Historic Places
Explore your own neighborhood through educational lesson plans about historic places throughout the country.
What We Do
Learn more about National Park Service programs that work in national parks and communities across the country to preserve places of history and heritage.
In Your Neighborhood
The National Park Service's dedication to preservation of history and heritage expands outside the borders of our parks into every community across the country. Find resources or learn more about some of these programs.
Last updated: April 14, 2021