YouTube's First Video 'Me at the Zoo' Acquired by London Museum

The 19-second clip featuring YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim is now part of a new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In a move highlighting the cultural significance of digital history, London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has acquired 'Me at the zoo,' the very first video uploaded to YouTube. The 19-second clip, featuring co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, has garnered over 382 million views and 18 million likes since its debut on April 23, 2005. Alongside the video, the museum has also acquired a reconstructed early YouTube webpage, both of which are now part of a new exhibition.

Why it matters

This acquisition by the V&A underscores the growing recognition of digital artifacts as important cultural and historical records. The 'Me at the zoo' video represents a pivotal moment in the history of the internet and the rise of user-generated content platforms like YouTube.

The details

YouTube's origins were surprisingly humble, starting as a video dating site before rapidly evolving into a global video-sharing platform. The platform's growth was fueled by the advertising industry, with a Nike commercial featuring Ronaldinho becoming the first video to surpass one million views in November 2005. By March 2013, YouTube had exceeded one billion monthly viewers.

  • The domain youtube.com was registered on February 14, 2005.
  • 'Me at the zoo' was uploaded on April 23, 2005.
  • The Nike commercial featuring Ronaldinho surpassed one million views in November 2005.
  • YouTube exceeded one billion monthly viewers by March 2013.

The players

Jawed Karim

One of the co-founders of YouTube and the person featured in the 'Me at the zoo' video.

Chad Hurley

One of the co-founders of YouTube, along with Steve Chen and Jawed Karim.

Steve Chen

One of the co-founders of YouTube, along with Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim.

Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)

A renowned museum in London that has acquired the 'Me at the zoo' video and a reconstructed early YouTube webpage for a new exhibition.

Corinna Gardner

A curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum who stated that the acquisition marks a pivotal moment in the history of the internet and digital design.

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What they’re saying

“This snapshot of YouTube in the early days of Web 2.0 marks a pivotal moment in the history of the internet and digital design.”

— Corinna Gardner, Curator, Victoria and Albert Museum

What’s next

The V&A's new exhibition featuring the 'Me at the zoo' video and the reconstructed early YouTube webpage is expected to open to the public in the coming months, providing visitors with a unique glimpse into the origins and evolution of the global video platform.

The takeaway

The acquisition of 'Me at the zoo' by the V&A highlights the growing recognition of digital artifacts as important cultural and historical records. As the video platform landscape continues to evolve, the preservation and curation of these digital relics will become increasingly crucial in understanding the digital revolution that has transformed our world.