American schoolchildren have studied geography since the late 18th century.

Traditionally viewed as an essential subject for boys’ and girls’ education, geography was taught to children in primary school, and to young adults studying in high school and college settings.

In this display of maps, globes, games, atlases and related objects, From The Vault will explore the evolution of geographic education, examine the visual aids used by teachers in the classroom, and marvel at unique student-produced geography projects from the late 18th to the 20th centuries.

This free showing will be hosted Friday, May 30 in the Leventhal Map & Education Center with a staff member available to answer questions.

Drop in any time between 2:00PM - 4:00PM. No reservation is required.

From The Vault

The Leventhal Map and Education Center cares for more than a quarter million cartographic and geographic objects, including maps, atlases, charts, globes, gazetteers, ephemera, research texts, and data sets. With such an extensive collection, it is likely that many of these objects will never be included in exhibitions for public viewing.

Our latest series, From The Vault, attempts to remedy that limitation. From The Vault is a biweekly, casual collections showing of objects selected by Map Center staff. These drop-in sessions do not include a formal presentation, though Map Center staff will be available to interpret objects, chat, and answer questions.