Preserving the past and advancing the future of maps

Learn about our collections

Inspiring learning through map education

Resources for teachers and students

Digital humanities bring geography alive

Explore digital projects

Reference and research for everyone

See what you can learn

What’s new?

Next event Gardens of Egleston Project Celebration / Celebración del Proyecto Jardines de Egleston Jul 23, 2025 · More events
Latest article Highlights From The Vault — We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence Jul 3, 2025 · More articles
New Exhibition Terrains of Independence is open now! Visit the gallery to see the new exhibition.
Today’s hours Friday 11 am – 5 pm · More hours

For everyone

We offer a wide spectrum of services and activities for the general public

For K-12 teachers

Our educator resources support teachers in fields ranging from geography and social studies to STEM and world history

For researchers

Our collections open up countless ways of exploring people and places around the world, and we welcome researchers from all walks of life

Digital tools

Explore our collections and discover the world of historical geography from home

Search digital collections

Make a quick search of our main Digital Collections portal. For more, see Searching the Collections.

Explore Revolutionary history through geography

Our exhibition Terrains of Independence is currently on display at our free gallery at the Central Library in Copley Square.

Plan a visit

Upcoming Events

All events

23
Jul

Gardens of Egleston Project Celebration / Celebración del Proyecto Jardines de Egleston

25
Jul

Historic Currents: Charting the Evolution of Boston's Ferry Routes — From the Vault Collections Showing

Cartography at Length: The Longest Maps in the Library — From the Vault Collections Showing

Articles

All articles

Jul 3, 2025
LMEC Staff

Highlights From The Vault — We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence

Check out these highlights from the July 3, 2025 From The Vault — We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence.

Read

Jun 30, 2025
LMEC Staff

An update on the future of the Allmaps project

Read

Jun 27, 2025
Zaila Alves

Highlights From The Vault — That Doesn’t Look Quite Right: Geographically Inaccurate Maps

Check out these highlights from the June 27, 2025 From The Vault — That Doesn’t Look Quite Right: Geographically Inaccurate Maps. This collections showing event was specially curated by our Visitor Services & Exhibition Assistant, Zaila Alves.

Read

All articles

Preserving the past and advancing the future of maps

Inspiring learning through map education

Digital humanities bring geography alive

Reference and research for everyone

What’s new?

For everyone

For K-12 teachers

For researchers

Digital tools

Search digital collections

Explore Revolutionary history through geography

Upcoming Events

Gardens of Egleston Project Celebration / Celebración del Proyecto Jardines de Egleston

Historic Currents: Charting the Evolution of Boston's Ferry Routes — From the Vault Collections Showing

from the vault

Cartography at Length: The Longest Maps in the Library — From the Vault Collections Showing

from the vault

Articles

Highlights From The Vault — We Are One: Mapping America’s Road from Revolution to Independence

An update on the future of the Allmaps project

Highlights From The Vault — That Doesn’t Look Quite Right: Geographically Inaccurate Maps