Exhibitions

Myths and Memories: Renaissance Maps

Open 15 February to 22 June 2025

The American Museum & Gardens will present one of the finest collections of Renaissance maps in the world in our first special exhibition for 2025. Myths and Memories: Renaissance Maps is the first major display of the Museum’s world-renowned collection in a decade, reframing the way the maps have historically been shown. Visitors will be invited to consider what Renaissance maps are and the myths and memories that shaped them. This exhibition shares the incredible artistry, design and range of map forms in the collection, and welcomes a variety of perspectives about maps and the impact they have had on the world for over 500 years. With a map-themed family trail around the gardens.

Exhibition highlights:

• A rare collection of Renaissance maps, which is a world-renowned museum collection in Bath.
• With maps presented as works of art, spotlighting their incredible artistry, design and range of forms.
• A collection reframed by a new curation that invites a range of perspectives, including inspiration from contemporary Indigenous views on the remapping of native land.
• Featuring maps that are near impossible to see in public – of the few examples that exist, most are in private collections or libraries where they are rarely displayed.