New members and visitors are always welcome to attend these
events.
Please submit your meeting notices to John W. Docktor
<phillymaps(at)gmail(dot)com>
To learn more about
non-current maps see Map
History / History of Cartography.
Exhibition announcements
can be found at Cartography
- Calendar of Exhibitions.
Click here
for archive of past events.
June 1-6, 2025 - Charlottesville Matthew Edney will be teaching a week-long seminar, H-65, Material Foundations of Map History, 1450–1900, at Rare Book School, University of Virginia. The course is intended for students, faculty, librarians, dealers, collectors, and anyone interested in early maps, whether beginners or experts. It includes broad introduction to maps and their materiality; particular consideration of atlases, maps in books, and bibliographical practices; hands-on printing with letterpress and intaglio presses; and in-class examination of maps and books from RBS's own collections.
June 5, 2025 - Richmond Please join The Library of Virginia Foundation for a presentation of select maps from the Elise H. Wright collection and other recent acquisitions, including the 5th state of "Joshua Fry's and Peter Jefferson's A Map of the most Inhabited Part of Virginia...(1775-1782)" and the 1st state of Cornelis van Wytfliet's "Norumbega et Virginia, 1597". We will also say farewell to the exhibition "Mapping the Commonwealth, 1816-1826", which closes on June 7. Please RSVP by June 3.
June 5, 2025 – Washington (Online) Hosted by the Washington Map Society, this Zoom meeting is presented in partnership with the California, Chicago, New York, Philip Lee Phillips, Rocky Mountain, and Texas Map Societies. Anyone interested in participating in the meeting must RSVP to John Docktor at washmap(at)gmail.com in order to receive the meeting ID and passcode. Meeting will start at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, 6:00 PM Central Time, 5:00 PM Mountain Time, and 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Casey Price (Recent Ph.D. Graduate and Visiting Teaching Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville) will discuss Our Fire Sits Here’: The French Cartography of Indigenous Coalescence in the Native South.
June 6, 2025 – Oxford The Map Curators’ Group of the British Cartographic Society is planning a one day event. In the morning will be a map cataloguing training session, aimed at people who look after map, book or manuscript collections and would like further training on dealing with maps. The afternoon will be the MCG Workshop. Both events will be in person, at the Bahari Room, Weston Library, and people are welcome to sign up for either or both parts. Registration is required. Additional information from <martin.davis(at)cartography.org.uk> or <debbie.hall(at)cartography.org.uk>.
June 7, 2025 – London The Annual General Meeting of the International Map Collectors' Society will be held at 10am in the Library, Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore.
June 7-8, 2025 - London The London Map Fair will be at its usual location of the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore. At 14:30 on Saturday, journalist and author Nicholas Nugen will speak about Spices, Maps and the origins of global sea trade.
June 10, 2025 – Washington (Online) Reference librarians will give a brief overview of maps and other cartographic items from World War II that can be found in the Geography and Map collections at the Library of Congress. The session will be 3:00-4:00 pm (Eastern). This session will highlight items made by American forces, as well as captured maps made by the Axis powers. The breadth and content of these items and how they came to the Geography and Map Division will be discussed. Participants will learn how to search for and access them online or in person. The focus of the session will be on maps and online resources available to all patrons any time or place in the world, but attendees will also learn how to prepare for a future trip to the reading room. After the presentation, staff look forward to answering additional questions from attendees. Register for this session.
June 11, 2025 – Chicago You are invited to join the Chicago Map Society for a special field trip at the MacLean Collection. 4:30 p.m. – doors open, light refreshments; 5:00 p.m. – presentation by Dr. Patrick Ellis from the University of Tampa: Ongoing Research at the MacLean Collection. Note: This limited-attendance event is for current members of the Chicago Map Society only, however, there is still time to join. Members: click here to reserve. Non-members: click here to join.
June 11, 2025 - Sint-Niklaas, Belgium Djoeke van Netten will discuss Frozen sea and melting ice. Cartography of the North Pole at 8:00 p.m. in SteM Zwijgershoek, Zwijgershoek 14.
June 12, 2025 - Oxford (Online) Today's meeting of 32nd Annual Series Oxford Seminars In Cartography has been canceled.
June 12, 2025 – Vienna An International Conference on the History of Map Collecting Vienna, Central Europe and Beyond will be at University of Vienna. The conference will be organised jointly by the Vienna Center for the History of Collecting (Austria) and Moravian Library in Brno (Czech Republic) and will be accompanied by a poster exhibition on Bernard Paul Moll composite atlas preserved at Moravian Library which originated in Vienna in the 18th century. Should you have further questions, please contact the organizers Eva Chodějovská <chodejovska(at)mzk.cz> and Silvia Tammaro <silvia.tammaro(at)univie.ac.at>).
June 14, 2025 - Brooklyn The New York Map Society offers a private tour at 2:00pm for up to 20 current and former members (current members getting precedence) of Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, 923 Putnam Ave, normally open only by appointment. RSVP to <kapochunas(at)gmail.com> to attend, and include what material you'd like displayed.
June 15, 2025 - Kingston, New York Take a journey through time with this illustrated talk, Ulster in Maps: 1752 – 1951. Phil Ryan (adjunct professor in the Media and Communication Dept., The City College of New York) will explore how Ulster County has evolved through a fascinating collection of historic maps from 1752 to 1951. From early land use and transportation routes to emerging towns and shifting boundaries, these maps reveal the county’s transformation over a century. Join former Ulster County Historical Society Board President Phil Ryan for an engaging presentation, with opportunities to ask questions and closely examine the featured maps after the talk. Talk will be in Ulster County Historical Society Museum, 2682 State Route 209, from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm. This event is free, but seating is limited—please reserve your spot in advance.
June 16-20, 2025 - London Maps are simultaneously ubiquitous in everyday life yet also strangely absent from much scholarly work outside the niche field of the history of cartography. How to catalogue, study, and discuss maps as historical sources for research is a subject that draws insight from critical bibliography, the history of the book, historical geography, and other subjects, making it an interdisciplinary and dynamic field. A History of Maps and Mapping is a London Rare Book School course (University of London, Senate House, Malet Street), convened by Katherine Parker.
June 16-20, 2025 - Mexico City Since 1987 and during twenty meetings, an academic network has been consolidated between the geographic community of Latin America and the Caribbean, to face the social, economic, political, environmental and cultural challenges that the region faces. From the diversity of the territories, based on research and teaching, spaces have been built to promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise, which contribute to consolidating the identity of the geographies in the region. For this reason, the National Autonomous University of Mexico is pleased to host the "XX Meeting of Geographies of Latin America and the Caribbean" at the Ciudad Universitaria campus in Mexico City. André Reyes Novaes (UERJ - BR), Carolina Martinez (CONICET - AR) and Mariana Lamego (UERJ - BR) will host a session History of cartography and geographical imagination in Latin America. This panel aims to discuss the role of cartographic images in shaping imaginative geographies in Latin America. More information from <mariana.lamego(at)uerj.br>.
June 22, 2025 – Bethany, Connecticut The Connecticut Map Society will have a Field Trip to Whitlock Book Barn, 20 Sperry Road, at 2:00pm. A Connecticut treasure, Whitlock’s Book Barn has been in business since 1948. In its two red barns, you’ll find hundreds of used books and maps. Because map lovers tend to be book lovers, we think this field trip is for you. Store Manager Meg Turner will preside, describing the store’s history and showing us a selection of maps from the collection. Thereafter, you’re free to browse their maps and books.
June 27, 2025 - Paris The CartAsia programme, launched in 2024 as part of the Bibliothèque nationale de France's four-year research plan, is studying a large body of East Asian cartography held in the library's collections. Conducted by the Department of Maps and Plans, with the support of a number of scientific and institutional partners in France and around the world, the aim of the project is to raise awareness of and provide access to this dispersed and hitherto difficult-to-identify collection. This second study day, La cartographie d'Asie de l'Est à la BnF : construction et composition d’une collection nationale (XVIIe-XXe siècle), will focus on the Korean corpus and on the major collections of East Asian cartography held in Parisian institutions. It will be held in Richelieu – Salle des conferences, 5, rue Vivienne. Additional information from Catherine Hofmann <catherine.hofmann(at)bnf.fr>.
June 28, 2025 - Stanford (Hybrid) The California Map Society spring conference will be in David Rumsey Map Center, Green Library, Stanford University, from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Hear from a superb group of speakers about historic and modern-day maps. To register for attending either in-person, click here. To register to attend by Zoom, click here.
July 8-11, 2025 – Paris The International Society for the History of the Map (ISHMap) will hold their annual conference at Campus Condorcet. The theme is Mapping the Cultural Crossroads. A two-day Workshop (8-9 July) for early career professionals (scholars, curators, archivists, and librarians) working in the history of cartography, will precede the Symposium (10-11 July). Post-event trip to Vincennes with guided tour through the cartographic treasures of the Historical Archives Center kept in the Château de Vincennes, a former fortress and royal residence dating back to 14th century is planned for 12 July. Additional details online.
August 11–15, 2025 - Los Angeles Ian Fowler (Curator of Maps, History, and Government Information; New York Public Library) will be teaching a California Rare Book School course on the History of Cartography at UCLA. This course is designed to provide a general overview of the history of mapping in the western world as well as the use of cartographic resources in modern day teaching and research.
August 12, 2025 – Washington (Online) Join Library of Congress reference librarians for an introduction to the Geography and Map collections at the Library of Congress. The session will be 3:00-4:00 pm (Eastern). This orientation session, aimed at the general public, will highlight a wide range of cartographic formats and subject matter. The focus of the session will be on maps and online resources available to all patrons any time or place in the world. Topics covered will also include search tips and tricks, research and collection guides, ways to engage with the collections online, and how to prepare for a future trip to the reading room. After the presentation, staff look forward to answering additional questions from attendees. Register for this session.
August 26-29, 2025 - London The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Annual International Conference 2025 will be held. Additional details to be announced.
September 11-14, 2025 - Portland, Maine The 42nd International Map Collectors' Society annual symposium will be at the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, 314 Forest Ave. We will also be working with the University of Southern Maine facilities. The conference title is Reflections and New Perspectives on Mapping Maine, New England and Maritime Canada and click here for the complete program. The program opens with an evening reception and possible keynote lecture on Thursday. Friday and Saturday will be lectures during the day and dinner on your own. Sunday, the final day, will be a behind the scenes tour and "Treasures of the Collection" in the morning. Then lunch and time to tour Portland in the afternoon. Closing banquet that night. There will be a post-symposium three-day tour of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Forest Monday through Wednesday, September 15-17th. Click here to register. Contact Libby Bischof <elizabeth.bischof(at)maine.edu> for more information.
September 18, 2025 - Washington The Geography & Map Division of Library of Congress and Philip Lee Phillips Society will have a Map Mixer. Join fellow map lovers and Library supporters for an afternoon of exploration, conversation, and connection. Geography & Map Division staff will present a curated selection of their favorite maps from the Library's collections. Come mingle with fellow enthusiasts and enjoy light refreshments while learning about Philip Lee Phillips Society initiatives and celebrating cartography.
September 23, 2025 - Denver (Hybrid) The Rocky Mountain Map Society is planning for a presentation by Susan Schulten. Further details to be anounced.
October 3-4, 2025 – Arlington, Texas To commemorate Dianne Powell , her collecting and leadership at the Texas Map Society and other organizations, the University of Texas at Arlington and the Texas Map Society are organizing a joint event. On October 3 (Friday), UTA Special Collections will host a Tribute Panel of fellow collectors and map historians to discuss the contemporary trajectory of map collecting and institutional collections. On October 4 (Saturday), the TMS Fall Meeting will highlight Dianne’s collecting by presentations on selected items she donated to UTA. Until the program is announced, logistical questions regarding the Tribute on October 3 can be directed to Rosalinda Sanders <rosalinda.sanders(at)uta.edu> and regarding the TMS Fall Meeting to Dr. Mylynka Cardona <mylynka.cardona(at)etamu.edu>.
October 8-9, 2025 - Rome The Historical Wall Maps Research Group, an international collective of historians and geographers dedicated to advancing the study of modern historical wall maps, is pleased to announce a workshop Hang Them Up! New Perspectives on Historical Wall Maps Studies, at the Società Geografica Italiana, Palazzetto Mattei in Villa Celimontana via della Navicella, 12. The main aim of the event is to bring together experts from different fields to explore the historical and comparative dimensions of wall maps, their cultural significance and impact on geographical knowledge across different periods and regions, and finally the possibilities for their preservation and digitization. For inquiries, please contact Arturo Gallia: <arturo.gallia(at)uniroma3.it>.
October 8-10, 2025 - Stanford The David Rumsey Map Center will host the fifth biennial Barry Lawrence Ruderman Conference on Cartography. The conference, themed Above and Below, will feature talks on cartography of anything but the earth's surface, from the ocean depths to the stars. To stay in the loop about the conference theme and speakers over the coming months, please sign up for the Ruderman Conference mailing list.
October 14, 2025 – Washington (Online) Hosted by the Washington Map Society, this Zoom meeting is presented in partnership with the California, Chicago, New York, Philip Lee Phillips, Rocky Mountain, and Texas Map Societies. Anyone interested in participating in the meeting must RSVP to John Docktor at washmap(at)gmail.com in order to receive the meeting ID and passcode. Meeting will start at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, 6:00 PM Central Time, 5:00 PM Mountain Time, and 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Henrik Dupont (Map Curator at The Royal Library, Denmark) will discuss Mapping of Greenland, from the 18th to 20th century.
October 16-18, 2025 – Chicago (Hybrid) The Newberry Library, 60 W Walton St., will be hosting the 22nd Kenneth Nebenzahl, Jr. Lectures in the History of Cartography. The theme will be "Mapping from Mexico: New Narratives for the History of Cartography". This program will be held in-person at the Newberry and livestreamed on Zoom. Additional registration, schedule, and speaker information will be released as the event nears.
October 17-18, 2025 - Hobart, Tasmania The annual conference of the Australian and New Zealand Map Society (ANZMapS) will be held at Museum of Old and New Art. Papers will be presented about the theme Southern Frontiers.
October 23-25, 2025 – Denver The Society for the History of Discoveries annual conference will be hosted by the Rocky Mountain Map Society and the Denver Public Library, with opening reception the evening of October 23rd, and program October 24th and 25th. The theme will be Mountains as Sites of Myth, Barriers, and Exploration. Additional information from Cortney Berg, SHD Secretary: <cberg(at)gradcenter.cuny.edu>.
October 25-26, 2025 - Liège, Belgium The Brussels Map Circle next excursion, focusing on geological mapping, will take place in Liège. The programme includes visits to the Belgian Geological Society, CLADIC (Liège Coal Industry Archives and Documentation Centre), a brief tour in Liège and visits to the State Archives and Castle of Warfusée. More information is online. Please register before 30 September.
October 31-November 1, 2025 – Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Hybrid) Registration is open for Mapping American Expansion, a two day seminar and Map Fair at The Museum Of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem. Moderated by Margaret Pritchard, Former Curator of Prints, Maps, and Wallpaper at Colonial Williamsburg, lecturers will include JC McElveen, Wesley Brown, and Chet Van Duzer. Concurrent with the seminar, a select group of dealers will be exhibiting maps for sale. A list of speakers, topics, dealers, and registration details (in-person or virtual) are available at https://mesda.org/program/map-seminar/.
November 13, 2025 – Washington (Online) Hosted by the Washington Map Society, this Zoom meeting is presented in partnership with the California, Chicago, New York, Philip Lee Phillips, Rocky Mountain, and Texas Map Societies. Anyone interested in participating in the meeting must RSVP to John Docktor at washmap(at)gmail.com in order to receive the meeting ID and passcode. Meeting will start at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, 6:00 PM Central Time, 5:00 PM Mountain Time, and 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Ronald S. Gibbs, MD (President California Map Society) will speak about The American Revolution Told in Ten Maps.
November 14, 2025 – Paris The History Commission of the CFC is organising a study day on Cartographic exhibitions at the Institut national d'histoire de l'Art. This one-day symposium is a continuation of the previous meetings on ‘Art and Cartography’ (2023) and ‘Cartography and Cinema’ (2024), in which cartography and its history were examined from the angle of their presence in modern and contemporary visual cultures. The aim of this new day is to consider the various aspects of the encounter between cartography and the general public. Maps have long been exhibited, more or less permanently, in the galleries of major palaces and public buildings. Think, for example, of the Vatican Map Gallery or the world map room in the Farnese Palace in Caprarola. But it is not to these perennial cartographic settings, which are already well known, that this Study Day aims to focus its analysis, but rather on temporary installations. Additional information from Catherine Hofmann <catherine.hofmann(at)bnf.fr>.
November 19, 2025 – Washington Join with The Geography & Map Division of Library of Congress for the 26th annual Geospatial Information Systems Day. Additional details to be announced.
December 6, 2025 - Brussels The Brussels Map Circle announces their annual conference on globes. It will be held in Royal Library of Belgium. More information soon.
December 11, 2025 – Washington (Online) Hosted by the Washington Map Society, this Zoom meeting is presented in partnership with the California, Chicago, New York, Philip Lee Phillips, Rocky Mountain, and Texas Map Societies. Anyone interested in participating in the meeting must RSVP to John Docktor at washmap(at)gmail.com in order to receive the meeting ID and passcode. Meeting will start at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, 6:00 PM Central Time, 5:00 PM Mountain Time, and 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Tom Harper (Lead Curator of Antiquarian Mapping, The British Library) will speak about an Overview of the British Library's New Map Exhibition, “Secret Maps”.
November 8-14, 2026 - Tokyo and Kyoto The International Map Collectors' Society has been invited by the Japan Map Society to participate in a conference that they would host for international guests with most of the program in English. Date and program currently are tentative.