The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) is the USA national center for ground-based optical-infrared (OIR) astronomy. It is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) sponsored by the National Science Foundation and managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). The NOAO mission is to enable discovery for the research community-at-large through open access to world-class facilities, capabilities, services, and data products.

NOAO is deploying a new suite of research capabilities including new instruments, data products, and data services. Looking further in the future, NOAO will have major roles in Large Synoptic Survey Telescope(LSST) operations and community research support, and seeks similar roles in the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and/or Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) facilities as federal funding permits. In parallel to these research enabling activities, NOAO maintains an active program in public education, outreach, and engagement. This talk introduces NOAO and its current activities, presents recent research highlights, and summarizes current strategic initiatives that look towards 2030 and beyond.