OpenStreetMap
The world’s open, community-built geographic database, providing free editable vector map data to millions of global applications.
Old Maps Online is a global search portal that indexes historical cartography from major cultural institutions, including the British Library, David Rumsey Collection, National Library of Scotland, and Harvard University. By panning and zooming an interactive modern world map, users instantly discover digitized historical maps covering that exact coordinate.
Key Historical Cartography Features
- Georeferenced Map Discovery: Navigate to any city, river, or ocean on the globe and set a timeline filter (1500 to 2000) to view historical maps of that area.
- High-Resolution Scans: Zoom into millimeter-level details of hand-drawn coastal charts, military battle maps, and cadastral property surveys.
- Side-by-Side Georeferencing: Overlay historic maps directly over modern OpenStreetMap or satellite terrain to view historical urban growth.
- Institutional Heritage: Directly links to the archival catalog of the host museum or national library.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many maps are indexed on Old Maps Online?
The portal indexes over 400,000 digitized historical maps provided by dozens of partner libraries and national archives.
Can I download high-resolution copies of the maps?
Yes. Clicking on any map routes you to the high-resolution archival viewer of the holding institution, where many maps are available under public domain licenses.
Does it support georeferenced map overlays?
Yes. Many maps have been georeferenced through crowdsourcing, enabling transparent opacity sliders on top of modern satellite maps.
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