Maps are not just diagrams of the route from A to B - from the earliest times they have helped us make sense of our world, from the very local to the global. Simply organised as a progression through time, each map is not only a beautiful work of art in its own right but also tells us about our changing perception of the earth....

Maps are often as much a visual art form as they are a practical tool for navigation. Of particular visual interest are display maps—maps that often used size and beauty to convey messages of regional and social status and power. Despite their historical significance, many of these display maps have been lost and destroyed over time....