The Society's unique Collections covers more than 500 years of geographical discovery. Learn more about some of its highlights through our Collections Showcases.
For those unable to attend the Society’s showcases in person, we are offering an insight into our Collections online.
Discover more about the Northwest Passage through a selection of the Society's map and artefact collection.
Find out more about a map that used geographical knowledge from the East and the West to provide a combined view fo the world in 1602.
This showcase looks at exploration in three of the world’s great deserts – the Taklamakan Desert of Central Asia, the Arabian Desert and the Western or Libyan Desert of North Africa. The period covered is roughly 1870 to 1950. During this period desert exploration benefited from a number of technological advances, two of which involved the invention of the petrol engine – motor cars and aeroplanes. Many of the explorers’ names are well known, a number of them were awarded the Society’s gold medals for their exploits. Their stories are all remarkable.
· Accessibility statement · Terms and Conditions, and Cookie use · Contact Webmaster · Download Adobe Reader · RGS-IBG is not responsible for the content of external internet sites