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The National Parks: America's Best Idea is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. As such, it follows in the tradition of Burns's exploration of other American inventions, such as baseball and jazz.

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Major funding is provided by General Motors, Evelyn & Walter Haas,Jr. Fund, CPB; Bank of America; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Park Foundation, Inc; PBS; National Park Foundation; The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Support programming like The National Parks through your local PBS station.

The National Parks
Full episodes
13 VIDEOS

Mr. President Goes to Yellowstone

11:48 Air Date 03/08/10

PBS Previews

24:49 Air Date 09/27/09

Grand Canyon, Floating the River

1:36 Air Date 09/11/09

Park Ranger Shelton Johnson

0:51 Air Date 09/11/09

The Creation of Yosemite National Park

11:44 Air Date 09/11/09

A message from Ken Burns

0:32 Air Date 08/12/09

Untold Stories: Yosemite's Buffalo Soldiers

11:28 Air Date 07/16/09

Untold Stories: San Antonio Missions: Keeping History Alive

12:07 Air Date 07/16/09

Untold Stories: Mount Rushmore: Telling America's Stories

9:29 Air Date 07/16/09

Untold Stories: Manzanar: "Never Again"

14:12 Air Date 07/16/09

Untold Stories: City Kids in National Parks

13:37 Air Date 07/15/09
+ MORE FULL EPISODES
Shorts
9 VIDEOS

The National Parks: Breath of Bison

2:00 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: George Melendez Wright

3:50 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: Grand Tetons

1:44 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: Great Nature

4:50 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: Muir and Roosevelt

11:41 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: New Land

1:58 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: Ranger Baker

0:34 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: TR and Grand Canyon

3:11 Air Date 09/27/09

The National Parks: Yellowstone Gate

0:48 Air Date 09/27/09