Royal Geographical Society, Scientific society in Westminster, United Kingdom
The Royal Geographical Society is a scientific institution in Westminster focused on geography, cartography, and exploration. Its home in Lowther Lodge on Exhibition Road brings together reading rooms, exhibition spaces, and an archive of historical maps and travel accounts.
King William IV founded the society in 1830 to gather geographical knowledge and support explorers. It moved to Lowther Lodge in 1913, a Victorian building that had previously served as a private residence.
The Lowther Lodge houses a public library filled with books about countries, cultures, and travel routes from every continent. Visitors can attend talks by researchers who share stories from current expeditions and field studies.
The library and exhibition rooms can be visited by prior arrangement, with some events open to non-members as well. The building sits close to several museums in South Kensington and is easy to reach on foot.
The collection holds diaries and sketches from explorers that were never published, including personal notes from the 19th century. Some maps show hand-drawn routes through regions that look entirely different today.
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