National Geographic: Then and Now – in pictures

An ascent of Mont Blanc in September 1911 Photograph: S G Wheril/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Ship passengers disembark at Mollendod in Peru, circa 1921 Photograph: 20th Century American School/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Students at the H Sophie Newcomb College, New Orleans, circa 1929 Photograph: Edwin L Wisherd/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Taiwanese villagers, circa 1949 Photograph: Joseph B Roberts/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Labourers in St Lucia load baskets of coal onto a ship in 1941 Photograph: Luis Marden/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Porters transport a car across a stream, Nepal 1948 Photograph: Volkmar K Wentzel/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Pedestrians yield to sheep on the pavement in Beirut, 1958 Photograph: Thomas J Abercrombie/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Crowds of swimmers on the beach in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1958 Photograph: Volkmar K Wentzel/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

A woman draped in a red chadri carries goldfinches in a cage on her head in Kabul, 1968 Photograph: Thomas J Abercrombie/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Miss Trinidad adjusts her costume at the 1998 Miss Universe contest in Hawaii Photograph: Jodie Cobb/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Young Asaro mudmen from the Garoka tribe at the annual tribal sing-sing in Papua New Guinea, 2000 Photograph: Jodie Cobb/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley

Mohanis fishermen in Pakistan catch herons in the Indus River, wearing headgear made from herons as camouflage Photograph: Randy Olson/National Geographic Image Collection/Beetles + Huxley