A diverse collection of some of the world’s most famous and interesting maps is now on display at the Field Museum of Chicago. For those in Chicago hoping to see it should hurry, as the exhibit closes January 27th. Fortunately for the rest of us, the exhibit features an elaborate online exhibit showcasing some of the cartographic treasures.
Maps featured in the exhibit include a 1300 B.C. town plan, the world’s oldest map drawn to scale (right), the world’s oldest surviving road map, a 1500 map of the road to Rome, Dr. John Snow’s famous 1855 Cholera map of London, as well as beautiful Chinese and Japanese maps.
The exhibit website and impressive 3D virtual gallery contains lots of information on these maps. My only complaint: the images are too small to examine the maps’ finer details.
>> Maps: Finding Our Place in the World
>> Maps Virtual Gallery
Fear not, its coming to the Walters Museum in Baltimore, a $7 MARC train ride from DC’s Union Station. Opens March 16th, 2008!
Don’t fret: the exhibit is coming, at least in part, to our very own Consolidated Statistical Metropolitan Area. See the Walters event calendar.