Over the weekend of February 7-9 the Miami International Map Fair will be held at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center. This is the 22nd edition of this annual event and is a much-appreciated affair.
Over three days there will be a steady flow of events:
Friday, February 7th. An exclusive reception for registered participants where they can preview the fair before it opens to the public on Saturday.
Saturday, February 8th. The fair opens at 10:00 am and will run to 5:00 pm. At 11:30 Susan Schulten, Ph.D., professor and chair of the history department, University of Denver, will deliver a lecture on “Mapping the Nation.” From 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm families can explore interactive maps on the nearby plaza. At 3:00 pm Margaret Pritchard, senior curator at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, will lecture on “To Decorate, Educate, and Elevate Maps as Symbols of Status and Gender.” In the evening dinner and cocktails will be available.
Sunday, February 9th. On this the final day the fair will open at 10:00 am and continue to 5:00 pm. Free appraisals and lunch will be available. At 1:30 pm Alexander Johnson, Ph.D., author recognized academic and commercial specialist in historical cartography, will speak on “William Gerard De Brahm & Bernard Romans: The People, Politics & Discoveries of the First Scientific Surveys of Florida, 1765-1775."
Participation may be off a bit because the ABAA’s annual west coast show falls on the same weekend. A few will attend both but many will choose one fair or the other.
So if you are interested in maps and their history, see them as cultural artifacts or appealing collectibles this is your opportunity to be immersed in a community that sees history as a progression of immerging images over time that first defined and over time clarified the world.
Many map collectors will not need a map to find this fair. Many have been attending for years. But if you are new to the field or unfamiliar with the area links below are provided to help plan your trip. You’ll enjoy the experience.
Links
The official Miami International Map Fair Site
http://www.historymiami.org/visit/map-fair/
Online Registration Form
https://historymiami.wufoo.com/forms/map-fair-participant-registration/
