#572 Mercator Museum People

We arrive in Sint Niklaas, Belgium, a few kilometers from Antwerp, eager to see maps and globes in the Mercator Museum.   We depart not talking about maps and globes.

Mercator overlooking his museum

Our request for an English-language tour of the city's Mercator Museum results in our meeting of Eddy Maes, the museum's Conservator of Cartography.    

Eddy makes it clear we should call him Eddy.  Eddy's tour makes it clear he has a passion for cartography.

In the presence of Mercator's 1541 terrestrial globe

Upon learning of Mary's librarian tendencies, Eddy arranges a behind-the-scenes tour of the books. 

Eddy, Mary, and the books

Eddy, Mary, and the 1554 Munster Cosmographie

Upon learning of Kelly's Geographic Information Systems tendencies, Eddy arranges an introduction to Professor Philippe De Maeyer, Chair of Geography at the University of Ghent.

Kelly and Professor De Maeyer

We arrive to see Mercator's maps and globes.  We depart talking about the fantastic people.

Yours in appreciating folks drawn to maps and libraries,
Kelly