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Abstract: Over the past decade scientists have collected convincing evidence that the content of our universe is dominated by a mysterious "dark energy." Understanding the nature of dark energy is a very difficult task, and requires a variety of independent experimental approaches. Especially sensitive to the nature of dark energy are supernova surveys using type-Ia supernovae as astrophysical standard candles, gravitational weak lensing surveys, galaxy and galaxy cluster surveys, and baryon acoustic oscillations. The Dark Energy Survey, located on a ground-based 4-m telescope in Chile, will combine all four experimental approaches to place the strongest possible constraints on dark energy. First light is expected in early 2012.