There are more than 60,000 maps in the Library’s collections, dating from the earliest known maps to the latest data.
Search for maps
Search for published maps and cartographic material using the National Library Catalogue.
Hand drawn maps and other unpublished items are described on TAPUHI.
Cartographic Collection
Most maps are in the Turnbull Library’s Cartographic Collection. This large collection contains historical and current maps, charts, atlases and other mapping material. The focus is on New Zealand, the Pacific and Antarctic but there are also maps of other areas.
More about the Cartographic Collection
Digital copies of maps
Search the National Library Catalogue and click on 'Link to digital copy' in the description to see images of published maps in the Cartographic Collection. Digital copies of some hand drawn maps, and maps on items of ephemera, are in Timeframes.
See maps with digital copies available on the National Library Catalogue
Photographic copies of maps in Turnbull Library Pictures
Photographic copies of some of the maps held in the Cartographic Collection can be browsed in Turnbull Library Pictures at the Library's reading room at 77 Thorndon Quay, Wellington.
More about Turnbull Library Pictures
General Lending Collection maps
You can borrow a selection of current New Zealand mapping material from the General Lending Collection through your local library.
More about the General Lending Collection
Maps in the General Reference Collection and the New Zealand and Pacific Collection
A small collection of up-to-date mapping material is kept for use on the ground floor of the Library in Wellington. Items are mainly current topographic maps of New Zealand and atlases of other countries.
More about the General Reference Collection
More about the New Zealand and Pacific Collection
Maps in the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection
Historical maps bound into artists’ albums of drawings and watercolours, and architectural plans are in the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection.
More about the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection
Aerial photographs in the Photographic Archive
You can find aerial photographs and views taken in New Zealand and other countries in the photographic collections.
More about the Photographic Archive collection
Maps in the Manuscripts Collection
The Manuscripts Collection contains some maps and charts kept with the manuscript papers of individuals and groups. Other maps relating to manuscript collections are kept in the Cartographic Collection.
More about the Manuscripts Collection
Maps bound into books
Maps bound into books of voyages dated before 1800 are in the Special Printed Collections, including books about James Cook.
Maps bound into books such as the Appendices to the journals of the House of Representatives or British Parliamentary papers, district plan books, books of early voyages in the 19th century, gazetteers, and place name indexes; are in the Turnbull Library's New Zealand and Pacific Book Collection.
More about the Special Printed Collections
More about the New Zealand and Pacific Book Collection
Maps in the Printed Ephemera Collection
Maps in published material such as tourist and travel brochures are in the Printed Ephemera Collection. Some of these can be found on Timeframes.
