The State Library of NSW is giving visitors the opportunity to explore five centuries of cartography from around the world with the opening of its new Map Rooms.
State Librarian John Vallance said the Library’s collection of maps all in the one place was arguably the most significant in Australia.
“We have brought some of our most important maps, globes and navigation instruments out of the vaults and into a new public home for all to see and enjoy,” Dr Vallance said.
“The Map Rooms have been designed for everyone, but we hope they will also encourage specialist cartographic research,” he said.
Dr Vallance said the new rooms were located on the first floor of the Mitchell Building, and would be open to the public every day.
Maps Expert with the State Library, Maggie Patton (pictured centre) said one of the major highlights of the exhibition was a chart of the Indian Ocean and Asia, one of only four copies in the world, which was printed on vellum by Jacob Colom in 1633.
“The expert work of our Library conservators is displayed in this chart in the network of threads which maintain the tension of the vellum within its frame,” Ms Patton said.
“The expert work of our Library conservators is displayed in this chart in the network of threads which maintain the tension of the vellum within its frame,” she said.
