What is Naturism?

Naturism, or nudism, is the practice of going without clothing for recreation, relaxation, health, environmental concern, protest or religious expression either privately or with others. Although sexual or erotic nudity is a part of the human experience and is practiced privately among naturists, it is not accepted or included in naturist culture and activities.

Naturism is a lifestyle that has a long and rich cultural heritage. While there are many great resources that exist for learning about naturism, searching the internet can quickly lead to information that is unrelated to naturism, distorts the values of naturism (intentionally or unintentionally), or exploits naturism. Additionally, many of the printed works that document the early years of naturism in western civilization are becoming scarce and inaccessible.

For many, naturism is an important and deeply cherished way of life. NaturistArchive.org is dedicated to preserving naturist history and becoming a resource for learning about naturist culture.