As president of Cartography Associates and Luna Imaging, an enterprise software provider for online images, David Ramsey combines two life tasks: creating the world's largest private collection of  maps. 

        The David Rumsey Map Collection contains more than 150,000 maps, focusing on rare 16th- to 21st-century maps of North and South America as well as the world map of Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection consists of maps, globes, and wall maps for school geography, including pocket-sized maps, survey books, nautical charts, and a variety of cartographic materials, including pocket maps, wall maps for kids, and handwritten maps.

        Ramsey started digitizing these maps in 1996 and making them available online at www.davidrumsey.com. More than 119,000 old and new maps are currently available for viewing and downloading.

        Viewers can not only access high-resolution images of thoroughly classified maps, but also a variety of tools that allow users to compare, analyze, and view different items in novel and experimental ways.

        Rumsey has now donated his entire private map collection to Stanford University, and the David Rumsey Map Center is now housed in the university library and is open to the public by appointment.

Story and illustrations: Ratchanok Thongkhaokham