Maps of our History , the newest exhibition of the National Archives of Canada, illustrates the evolution of Canada through cartography.
Admission is free.
Canada at Scale celebrates both Canada's cartographic heritage of the last 500 years and Canada's role in world cartography from the late nineteenth century to the present. It brings together some 70 cartographic and visual records from the thousands in the holdings of the National Archives. The exhibition offers a rare and varied glimpse into the rich traditions of Canadian cartography and unique insight into the exploration and evolution of Canada, from modest colony to the world's second-largest country. Canada at Scale shows how Aboriginal peoples, European colonial powers, Canadians, governments, private industry and academics all produced precious maps in spite of the difficulties presented by the vastness of the land, the harshness of the climate and terrain, the long periods of war and the rudimentary techniques. It illustrates how the maps of Canada changed during the course of history becoming more accurate and reliable as techniques for navigation, making astronomical measurements and printing maps improved.