Want to feel old? The first-ever YouTube video is now in a museum.
On April 23, 2005, the world was changed forever when the first video was uploaded to YouTube. "Me at the zoo" is a 19-second video that shows YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim in front of elephants at the San Diego Zoo.
In the nearly 26 years since it hit the Internet, "Me at the zoo" has been viewed 384 million times. Now, the iconic video is on display at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. According to an official YouTube blog post, the museum acquired the video and its original view page in an effort to “preserve and document the history and culture of the internet."
"Opening February 18 at V&A, the exhibit captures YouTube as it appeared on December 8, 2006. Developed by the museum alongside YouTube’s UX team and interaction design studio oio, the exhibit showcases the early designs of elements that continue to shape the internet today like badges, rating buttons, and sharing and recommendation features," the blog post reads.
"Visitors can experience this piece of history in the Design 1900–Now gallery at the V&A South Kensington, while a behind-the-scenes look at the technical reconstruction will be hosted at the V&A East Storehouse."
The internet talks "Me at the zoo"
Recently, Redditor u/Alternative-Gap-3861 took to the r/NationalFilmRegistry subreddit to suggest it should be inducted. "The very first YouTube video, uploaded by the creator of YouTube. Seems extremely significant to me," they wrote.
"If YouTube videos ever make their way into the Registry, this one definitely should be among the first chosen," u/Amazing_Antelope_275 added.
"Always thought about that. May need a separate National Video Registry that would cover important videotaped news coverage, video art, home video, and viral videos," u/jblattnerNYC replied.
"This is how it all started. With a joke about an elephant's penis," u/ModenaR hilariously observed on the video's 20th anniversary last year.
"We're so honored that the first-ever YouTube video was filmed here," the San Diego Zoo commented on the YouTube video six years ago. The comment has since gained 4.4 million likes.
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