The Wayback Machine - https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20230320092509/https://wikimediafoundation.org/
Meet the people making Wikimedia projects more equitable. Discover Open the Knowledge: Stories.

The nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation provides the essential infrastructure for free knowledge. We host Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, created, edited, and verified by volunteers around the world, as well as many other vital community projects. All of which is made possible thanks to donations from individuals like you. We welcome anyone who shares our vision to join us in collecting and sharing knowledge that fully represents human diversity.

Protect and sustain Wikipedia

Donations are secure

1

Wikimedia projects belong to everyone

You made it. It is yours to use. For free. That means you can use it, adapt it, or share what you find on Wikimedia sites. Just do not write your own bio, or copy/paste it into your homework.

2

We respect your data and privacy

We do not sell your email address or any of your personal information to third parties. More information about our privacy practices are available at the Wikimedia Foundation privacy policy, donor privacy policy, and data retention guidelines.

3

People like you keep Wikipedia accurate

Readers verify the facts. Articles are collaboratively created and edited by a community of volunteers using reliable sources, so no single person or company owns a Wikipedia article. The Wikimedia Foundation does not write or edit, but you and everyone you know can help.

4

Not all wikis are Wikimedia

The word “wiki” refers to a website built using collaborative editing software. Projects with no past or existing affiliation with Wikipedia or the Wikimedia Foundation, such as Wikileaks and wikiHow, also use the term. Although these sites also use “wiki” in their name, they have nothing to do with Wikimedia.

300,000+

editors contribute to Wikimedia projects every month

90+ million

media files on Wikimedia Commons and counting

1.7+ billion

unique devices access Wikimedia projects every month

Research

We conduct our own research and partner with researchers worldwide to address change in society and technology.

More about research

Technology

From site reliability to machine learning, our open-source technology makes Wikipedia faster, more reliable, and more accessible worldwide.

More about technology

Advocacy

We fight to protect everyone’s right to access free and open knowledge.

More about advocacy

Collaborative projects are the core of the Wikimedia movement

Our volunteers build tools, share photos, write articles, and are working to connect all the knowledge that exists.

Wikipedia puzzle globe

Wikipedia

Free encyclopedia written in over 300 languages by volunteers around the world.

Wikimedia Commons logo

Wikimedia Commons

The world’s largest free-to-use-library of illustrations, photos, drawings, videos and music.

See what we have been up to

SusunW Header Open the Knowledge Stories

SusunW is on a mission to write women into history with Wikipedia

Today, scientists can tell us with certainty that increased carbon dioxide emissions are warming the planet. But who was the first to discover this, and when did that happen?  I’ll bet it’s earlier than you think. Meet Eunice Newton Foote: a 19th century American scientist, inventor, and women’s rights activist whose contributions to climate science….

Read more
Women Do News Header Open the Knowledge Stories

Women Do News: Tackling the Gender Divide in Journalism Through Wikipedia

The gender gap is a pervasive issue that has garnered attention in recent years, particularly in relation to the global pay inequality between men and women. However, this disparity is not limited to pay; it persists across various issues and industries, including the newsroom. For example, despite some progress, just four out of ten US….

Read more

Wikimedians are heroes of free knowledge

Photo of Pranayraj Vangari
Pranayraj Vangari
Editor since 2013, Wikimedia community
Photo of Armine Aghayan
Arminé Aghayan
Editor since 2013, Wikimedia community
Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase
Christine Meyer
Editor since 2007, Wikimedia community

Throughout history, knowledge has been controlled by a powerful few. Wikipedia needs knowledge from all languages and cultures. The internet has become the default for accessing information—women, people of color, and the global south remain underrepresented. We invite you to help correct history.

Help us unlock the world’s knowledge.

As a nonprofit, Wikipedia and our related free knowledge projects are powered primarily through donations.

Donate now

Contact us

Questions about the Wikimedia Foundation or our projects? Get in touch with our team.
Contact

Photo credits