Instagram launched the Explore tab in 2012.
The feature debuted in June 2012 as a way to discover material beyond the accounts a user already followed. Its early version displayed popular photos, photos taken at nearby locations, and search results. That made Instagram less like a purely personal photo feed and more like a discovery network.
Explore has changed substantially since its launch. In June 2015, Instagram updated it with trending tags and places, curated content, and location search. Later additions included videos users might like, event-related videos, Stories, and algorithmically selected Instagram Live content. The tab therefore kept the same broad purpose while its recommendations became more personalized and media-rich.
People sometimes confuse the launch year with the year of a major redesign or with the introduction of Instagram Stories, which arrived in 2016. The original Explore tab predates both those changes. Instagram itself launched in 2010, while its Android app arrived in April 2012.