S4 Ep1: Silver Sails: Following the Galleon Route with Dr. Katie Parker
In the first episode of Season 4, our host Jerry Brotton finds himself at one of the world's largest and most active exploration-focused institutions: the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in London. He meets with Cartographic Collections Manager Dr. Katie Parker to pore over a mid-sixteenth century treasure that both the RGS and The Sunderland Collection are privileged to own an example of.
Produced in around 1550, this atlas by Battista Agnese is a luxurious curation of 13 hand-drawn portolan charts of the known world. Jerry and Katie explore what these exquisite maps show, and who would have owned them. They discuss the European desire for imperial expansion in pursuit of wealth, from silver and gold in the west to spices in the east. We also learn more from Katie’s expertise in 18th-century European maritime history and Pacific voyages of exploration.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries. Join us in this award winning podcast (Gold in Education at the British Podcast Awards 2025) as Jerry Brotton invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
If you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases.
For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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S3 Ep7: Season 4 Launches November 5th!
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton, as in each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
And to find out more about the British Library talk with Jerry, Nicholas Crane and Dwayne Fields on October 25th, go to: https://events.bl.uk/events/online-secret-mapping-mapping-secrecy
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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S3 Ep6: Polar Bears and the Unknown with Djoeke van Netten
Jerry journeys to the Arctic polar region with Dr Djoeke van Netten from the University of Amsterdam, following the attempts by Dutch navigator Willem Barentsz and his crew to reach China via the northeast passage.
Djoeke explains the backstory of the Dutch trade missions that took place in 1594, 1595, and 1596 and how the 1596 mission was stranded in Novaya Zemlya [an island chain in present day Northern Russia] for almost a year.
These European explorers kept fascinating records of landscapes and animals that they had never encountered before, in particular polar bears—an animal that sparked significant curiosity and concern among the Dutch crew. Djoeke reveals how these interactions not only informed the crew's survival strategies but also shaped their perceptions of the Arctic.
Djoeke and Jerry discuss how maps not only record known geography but also convey what was unknown to European mapmakers - dotted lines and empty regions that reflect both an acknowledgment of limits and the ambition of further exploration.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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S3 Ep5: Wild, Native, Extant - Exploring Emotional Geography with Anton Thomas
Jerry interviews Melbourne based artist-cartographer Anton Thomas, who discusses his latest project: a meticulously hand-drawn world map titled "Wild World." Wild World centres the animal kingdom, showcasing over 1,600 animals across a world without national borders.
This intricate artwork emerged from Anton’s deep-rooted passion for mapping, which reaches back to his childhood. It also reflects his belief in the profound connection between humans and nature.
Anton walks Jerry through the artistic and cartographic choices he made whilst drawing Wild World, a process that took several years to complete. We hear about how Anton wanted to shape the viewer’s experience, turning the map into a celebration of biodiversity while instilling a sense of optimism amid today’s environmental concerns.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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S3 Ep4: WWII and the Dangers of Cartographic Lethargy with Susan Schulten
Jerry and University of Denver Professor Susan Schulten delve into the groundbreaking work of Richard Edes Harrison, an artist cartographer whose innovative mapping style emerged in the tumultuous early 20th century, particularly during the lead-up to World War II.
They discuss two of Harrison’s maps published in Fortune magazine, the business magazine founded by Henry Luce in 1929. Harrison’s maps challenged Americans' isolationism at the start of World War II. He wanted to shake the country out of what he called their “cartographic lethargy”.
Susan walks us through the debates around the US entering World War II and the compromise that was reached – Lend lease, a policy that allowed the US to aid allies without entering the war themselves.
We also hear about Susan meeting Harrison at the end of his life and the valuable insight she got from him about the science and art of map making.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Winner of the Gold award at the British Podcast Awards 2025 in the Education category!
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton, as in each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
Netherlands