Exploring the Special Collections for Geography- Royal Geographical Society





A presentation about the Royal Geographical Society was facilitated by Lee Rodrigues, Collections and Administration Assistant. Established in 1830, the society began as a dining club for those who would like to discuss travel. Members began to seek royal patronage and published their first journal in 1831. Today, the Royal Geographical Society awards funding for researchers and provides access to past expedition notes, trainings, and maps or charts. In return for access to the collection in preparation for an expedition, the society requests a report on the venture's findings. 

With a mission to advance geographical knowledge, the society's collections provide an overview of 500 years of geography and travel. Collection items include maps, books, photographs, articles, and archival objects such as private journals and other items that were used or collected on expeditions. A staff of eight people steward these collections. Rodrigues noted that the purpose of preserving items from expeditions is found in the value that their stories add to the collection. 

Rodrigues was intentional about defining the society's original use of the concept "discovery" to mean discovery done by white Europeans as they journeyed to other parts of the world. The society is working to diversify the stories that it shares. This is evident in their project, "Hidden Histories of Exploration", that brought attention to the stories of indigenous guides. I asked Rodrigues about the society's outreach efforts and he told me about Geography for All. This program works to engage underrepresented students from low-income backgrounds with the support that they need to pursue geographical studies. I enjoyed learning how this long standing society is strategically maneuvering to make their work more representative of the actual diversity in discovery and exploration. 

The images included in this post are shared with permission from the RGS- IBG. 

Relevant links:
https://www.rgs.org/ 
https://www.rgs.org/schools/geography-for-all 

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