70 Maps from 300 Years of Children's Literature Travel to Taiwan for Exhibition

Taichung City Library is hosting a unique international exhibition titled "70 Maps Around the World: Cartographic Treasures in Children's Literature Over 300 Years." This special exhibition, a collaboration with the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany, presents 70 classic maps from children's literature, spanning three centuries. It is the first time this collection has been exhibited in Taiwan.

The exhibition guides visitors through a journey of imagination and knowledge, tracing the evolution of maps from tools for knowledge transmission to mediums that inspire exploration. The curated maps cover diverse themes, including adventure stories, myths, historical civilizations, natural ecology, and fantasy literature. The exhibition is structured into three main sections: "The Real World," "The Transitional World," and "The Fantasy World," inviting audiences to explore real landscapes, mythical realms, and unknown territories.

In addition to the international collection, a dedicated Taiwan section complements the exhibition. This area features Taiwanese map-themed publications and translated literature, alongside original map creations by Taiwanese artists Chen Yu-ling and Huang Yi-wen. These works integrate local culture and life observations into visual narratives, fostering a dialogue between Taiwan and the world within the exhibition space. The library aims to encourage readers to rediscover their own land through maps and stories, embarking on a cross-border journey of imagination.

This exhibition represents a significant outcome of the partnership established last year between the Taichung City Library and the International Youth Library in Munich. It serves as a starting point for promoting "reading diplomacy," allowing international culture to be showcased in Taichung and connecting the city's reading initiatives with a global audience. The collaboration involved in-depth exchanges on exhibition planning, reading promotion, and youth reading policies.