The intrigue: The photographs, true to National Geographic's brand, all tell a story, Benedetti said. The photos are of a broad range of animals as they live in the wild, not in zoos or wildlife refuges.

The big picture: "We're kind of in our photography era right now," Benedetti said.

• Exhibitions at The Momentary have been heavy on photography lately — "Best in Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography," "Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues and Soul" and "The Prison Concerts: Folsom and San Quentin (Jim Marshall's Photographs of Johnny Cash)" have been on display this year.
• This is an effort to explore how the public responds to the medium at The Momentary, Benedetti said.

• "One of the things that we are interested in is how photography is part of our everyday lives, how photography feels familiar," he said.

What's next: The Momentary is hosting a free, kid-friendly party on Nov. 22 to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. The event includes a screening of a National Geographic photography documentary, games, artmaking activities, a gallery tour and live music.

• "The Greatest Wildlife Photographs" will be on display from Nov. 22 to June 7.