Unveiling the Hidden and the Celestial: Exploring Cartography Beyond the Earth's Surface
In the realm of cartography, where maps typically depict the Earth's surface, the David Rumsey Map Center's latest exhibition, 'Above & Below: Cartography Beyond Terrain', takes a bold step forward, revealing the hidden and the celestial. This captivating exhibition, which opened on October 8, 2025, in conjunction with the Barry Lawrence Ruderman Conference on Cartography, showcases nine unique collections that defy traditional mapmaking.
Assistant curator Kristina Larsen, who spearheaded the exhibition, explains, "These collections are all connected by their departure from traditional surface terrain cartography. Each contributor approaches this theme from a distinct angle, offering a diverse range of perspectives."
True to its name, the exhibition presents a fascinating array of topics. Some collections delve below the surface, mapping the seafloor and underground caves. For instance, Austrian Academy of Sciences historian Johannes Mattes' collection, "The Limits of Early Modern Vision", compiles historic cave maps from Slovakia, Hungary, and Russia. These maps, while lacking precise measurements, provide valuable information for navigation, offering a glimpse into the early modern world's understanding of these subterranean spaces.
Other collections look upward, exploring the celestial realm. Colorado School of Mines professor Angel Abbud-Madrid's contribution, "The Evolving View & Mapping from Above", includes historical maps of the moon and simulated moon dust samples. Abbud-Madrid's talk shed light on the evolution of our views of space objects, including the moon, and how these perceptions have changed over time.
The exhibition also features "Mapping Anthropogenic Weather" by historian Lucas Schultz. This collection pairs depictions of contrails and nuclear fallout with Schultz's map of a 19th-century practice in the Alps, where residents attempted to control the weather by shooting cannons at storm clouds. Schultz's work visually analyzes this belief system, revealing the interplay between human actions and weather patterns.
Niles Dorn, the cartographic collections and technology specialist at the center, highlights the exhibition's uniqueness, "Since each section is drawn from or inspired by the conference talks, the exhibition covers a wide range of topics and ideas. You might find one section less interesting, but just a few feet away, there's something that truly captivates you."
Visitors have praised the staff, like Dorn, for enhancing their experience. Paulo Moriconi, who attended a guided tour with his son, raves, "The people here are incredibly knowledgeable and provided us with a wealth of information."
The exhibition is open to the public from 1 pm to 5 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 9:30 am to 5 pm on Fridays. Guided tours are offered at 2 pm on select Fridays, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into the fascinating world of cartography beyond terrain. As Larsen notes, "We aim to engage people who may not have thought about maps before, inspiring them to share our enthusiasm for both contemporary and historic cartography. The exhibition is written at a level that should be accessible to most people, even those new to these topics."
'Above & Below: Cartography Beyond Terrain' is a must-see for anyone curious about the hidden and the celestial, offering a fresh perspective on the art and science of mapmaking.
