The Geography and Map (G&M) Division Reading Room, Library of Congress. 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC. They can pull any maps you ask to see. They have over four million. There is no exhibit of maps, but come ready to ask for your favorites, or ready to do some serious research. Open 8:30am until 5pm Monday through Friday.
Exploring the Early Americas is an exhibition featuring the 1507 Waldseemüller "World Map," the first map to use the name America; and rotating items from the Jay I. Kislak Collection, which includes rare books, manuscripts, historic documents, maps and art of the Americas. Also on display is Waldseemüller's "Carta Marina" or Navigators' Chart; and the Schöner Sammelbund, a portfolio that contained two world maps and other cartographic materials. The exhibition is in the Northwest Gallery of the Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. The exhibit is free and open to the public, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The Kiplinger Research Library of the Historical Society of Washington has a large collection of maps of the city, including an extensive collection of real estate atlases that patrons can browse. 801 K Street NW at Mount Vernon Square, Washington, DC. Open 10:00am until 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. Telephone 202.383.1800.
August, 2009 - May, 2010 - Washington
In a world where we can keep tabs on our own backyards from our desks at work, via satellite, it's difficult to imagine the impact one
man armed with notebooks and pencils could have in 1861 as the Civil War began to rend our young nation. Generals on both sides of
that conflict desperately needed good topographical information to plan attack and defense. One good mapmaker could be worth
battalions of firepower. Into this fray stepped a New York-born schoolteacher named Jedediah Hotchkiss (1828-1899). Jed had moved
to Virginia, and initially aided the Confederate war effort by hauling supplies. Before long, he was making maps for Brig. Gen. Richard
B. Garnett, and eventually he became the mapmaker for Gen. Robert E. Lee and Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson. These history-changing
maps are the subject of an exhibition in the foyer of the Geography and Map Division in the basement of the Madison Building, 101
Independence Avenue. Hotchkiss' maps, many drawn from horseback, were extraordinary for their accuracy. Jackson's successes in
the 1862 campaign were largely credited to those remarkable maps. Hotchkiss, who rose to the rank of major, also was entrusted with
choosing lines of defense and arranging troops during several crucial battles.
September 18, 2009 - January 9, 2010 - Washington
Early modern Europeans imagined China as a land of wonder, of riches, and of enormous opportunity. The exhibition Imagining
China: The View from Europe, 1550-1700 displays rare books and maps from the Folger Shakespeare Library collection, along with
items from the Library of Congress and the Walters Arts Museum. Exhibition is at Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol
Street, SE.
March 5-6, 2010 - Rosslyn, Virginia
The 35th Annual Washington Antiquarian Book Fair will have 10 map dealers. Additionally there will be more maps offered by book
dealers. Friday March 5, 5:00-9:00pm. Saturday Mar 6, 10:00am - 5:00pm. Admission fee. Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge, 1900
N. Fort Myer Drive, in Arlington, one block north of Rosslyn METRO (Blue & Orange Lines). Contact 301-654-2626.
Map Exhibitions and Map Meetings around the world: As you travel, first visit www.docktor.com - it is a great source of information concerning coming cartographic events and also ongoing map exhibitions worldwide. It is maintained by one of our members.