Sea charts are indispensable on board ships. But how did the sea map come into being and why? The cartography exhibition De zee in kaart explores the history of sea charts with atlases and measuring instruments.Venue: Het ScheepvaartmuseumURL: https://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.com/whats-on/exhibitions/ch[...]
Organisation: Académie des sciences et la Royal Society, bibliothèques Mazarine et l’Institut de France
Conceived jointly by two of Europe's oldest scientific academies, this exhibition traces more than three centuries of debate, experiment and cooperation around a fundamental question: what is the exact shape of the Earth?
More information here.
Embark on a daring voyage into the depths of human imagination at the Harvard Museum of Natural History’s new special exhibition, Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination. Featuring ancient mariners' maps, literature, works of art, and natural history specimens, this exhibit explores the allure of serpents, krakens, and other monsters of the deep. Peer into the minds of scholars from centuries past, study sea creatures whose real lives are often more astonishing than the fantastical beings we might have imagined. Dive into the ocean of human consciousness, where dreams and fears entwine with reality, offering profound insights into our world and ourselves. Join us in unraveling the mysteries of the deep sea and the human psyche, where sea monsters—both real and imagined—beckon us to explore the unknown.URL: https://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/sea-monsters
This exhibition invites visitors on a journey to the frontiers of reality and fiction, exploring the links between cartography and the imagination. For while maps usually trace the contours of known lands, they also give shape to imaginary territories that extend, interpret or personalise the real world.URL: https://www.bnf.fr/fr/agenda/cartes-imaginaires
Transit maps hold a unique place in both the urban environment and the cultural zeitgeist, often transcending their utilitarian purposes to become symbols of cities and nations alike. Iconic transit maps such as Charles Beck's 1933 map of the London Underground or Vignelli's 1972 map of the New York subway have been lauded as cultural touchstones that both were inspired by the past and have influenced the future.
You Are Here is an exhibition that explores the unique relationship between transit maps and the identity of their subjects. A transportation system can become synonymous with a city or nation, reflecting its change over time, spearheading cartographic innocations, or reifying an entirely new vision for space and place. The individual maps in the exhibit serve as a window into the histories of the places they represent and the history of transit cartography as a whole.
Curated by the winner of the California Map Society Student Exhibition Competition Jayne Kilander, will be on view through Friday, August 21, 2026. It is also available to view digitally.
