Royal Geographical Society (with The Institute of British Geographers)
In June 2004 the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) opened its new facilities to the public, which provide access to one of the world’s largest geographical collections containing over two million maps, photographs, books, artwork, artefacts and documents. The collection tells the story of 500 years of geographical discovery and research, seeing the world through the eyes of explorers associated with the Society. Treasures in the collections include some of the earliest photographs of Africa, Asian and the Caribbean, and the first Arabian photographs of Mecca and Medina. The listing here gives an indication of some of the vast holdings of the Royal Geographical Society, but for a more detailed search, just type a keyword into the RGS's online catalogue - covering books, maps and pictures.
The Society’s artefact collection includes over one thousand items brought to the Society since its inception and consisting mainly of three types of items.
Cultural objects from around the world ranging from Inuit boots from the Canadian Arctic to ceremonial ‘leopard’s claws’ from what was the Belgian Congo.
Paraphernalia of exploration from oxygen sets used in the various attempts on Everest to a compass used by Livingstone in his search for the source of the Nile. Personal items formerly belonging to some of the world’s greatest explorers - from Shackleton’s Burberry helmet to H M Stanley’s boots.
Search images from the Royal Geographic Society picture library
More venue information >
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Woman selling jackfruit by Harry Johnston, 1908-9 ©Royal Geographical Society
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African: Congolese
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African: Egyptian
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African: Ethiopian
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African: Kenyan
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African: Moroccan
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African: Nigerian
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African: Somali
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African: South African
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African: Sudanese
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African: Ugandan
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Asian
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Asian: Chinese
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Asian: Filipino
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Asian: Indian
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Asian: Japanese
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Asian: Sri Lankan
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Asian: Vietnamese
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Caribbean
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Near & Middle East
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Near & Middle East: Iranian
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Near & Middle East: Kurdish
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North America: American
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North, West & Southern Europe
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North, West & Southern Europe: French
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North, West & Southern Europe: German
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North, West & Southern Europe: Greeks
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North, West & Southern Europe: Irish
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North, West & Southern Europe: Italian
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North, West & Southern Europe: Portuguese
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North, West & Southern Europe: Turks
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Oceania
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Religious Group: Jewish
Caribbean
The RGS holds many photos taken in Caribbean in the early 20th century, most of them by Harry Johnston, a British Colonial Administrator in East Africa. The photographs were a result of Johnston's travels in the Caribbean at the request of US President Theodore Roosevelt, who asked Johnston to find out more about Cuba and the other Caribbean islands. You can see many of these pictures online.
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The RGS Caribbean Stories pages
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Search the RGS online picture library
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North America: American
Archives -3 items Diaries and volumes of news cuttings and notes. English Books and Pamphlets:-269 titles on expeditions from the 16th Century onwards mainly focusing on the journals from the discovery and exploration of the continent. All in English. Map Room:-Maps from the 18th Century onwards. 336 artefacts All in English. Museum Items:-48 items ranging in size and type ranging from flags to medals and matchboxes. Picture Library:-151 items of many miscellaneous items. English
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Search the RGS online picture library
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Unlocking the Archives: the RGS education site
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North, West & Southern Europe: German
Archive Material:- 6 collections of varying sizes and ages. English and German. Books and Pamphlets:-436 titles in English, German , Hungarian, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Maps:-532 maps in English, German, French, Hungarian ,Czech and Spanish. Museum:- 10 artefacts including a section of the Livingstone tree at Ujiji. English and German Pictures:-97 images of Germany her colonies and German missions.
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Search the RGS online picture library
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Unlocking the Archives: the RGS education site
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