Preserving the past and advancing the future of maps

A quarter million maps from the fifteenth century to the present tell the stories of Boston and the world

Inspiring learning through map education

Education programs help K-12 students and teachers discover the power of geography

Innovative tools like our Atlascope portal offer new ways to engage with cartography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How maps, scarcity, and severe weather combined to shape the new American Republic—and a revolution we’re still waiting on

Collaborations with MassGIS and the Massachusetts Historical Society add new features and data to Atlascope

Check out these highlights from the January 23, 2026 From The Vault — New Acquisitions!