A map is just that - a map to show you where you are going or where something is. Why hang it on your wall?

@ ChrisGas: I think the post itself answers you question:

"Well, obviously because cartography is cool."

Obviously, of course.

I get it as an art, because sometimes maps unwind your mind by thinking of places we've visited or we'd like to see one day. I like seeing framed maps of places or transport maps when they have a true meaning for the person who sees it every day. I kind of hate it when it's there and looks staged.

My husband has a love for maps, geography in general but I can not find a reasonably priced map that will live up to his standard of aesthetics plus accuracey.

i love the equal land area maps. makes you see how western europe are dwarfed by africa and south america. maps are so interesting because they evolve not only in style but also in their presentation of cultural ideas as fact.

(western europe and the usa..)

Maps are art. Some hand drawn maps are so amazing and breath taking, they rival any piece in a museum. They are also just great to look at. Little bits of history in a drawing. The original infographic!

The DWR map is awesome! Too bad it's not more affordable.

I have maps of our places of origin on my upper kitchen cabinets - keep me grounded!

I'm infatuated with cartography. I have one large vintage map of the world hanging in my office and a chest of drawers plastered with map sheets (each drawer features a different part of the world I got to visit). & I just bought an awesome globe from the 60s for our living room! I don’t mind expired maps, I actually love them for it – they capture a political moment in time that’s never going to repeat again. I actually repurpose outdated maps into unique custom home décor pieces: http://papercutworks.blogspot.com/2010/04/map-cut-outs-by-papercutworks.html For example, I made one for a friend’s wedding anniversary – an anatomically inspired heart map cut-out of a city where she & her husband originally met.

My 2 cents... My father is a pilot and often has flight/aviation maps lying around. I have hung some up before and they look pretty darn cool. Far more interesting than just your plain 'ol atlas ; )

http://www.olympiadigitalimaging.com/aviation%20display%20map.jpg

My parents have a map in the living room, with different colored push pins showing where each of us have traveled (or where we have traveled as a family). It is a wonderful conversation starter!

I have been looking for a nice map for some time and I really like the colors on the DWR map. It is a bit expensive though, would anyone know of a similar map on paper, non magnetic?

I love these maps I saw at Vincon in Barcelona. I wanted one so bad but I was unfortunately already maxed out on luggage weight :(

http://www.vincon.com/WebCommerce/Sistema/200606/inicio.asp?MiTienda=100397&MiIdioma=EN&MiProducto=409994

The land is transparent, btw, so I suppose you'd need a good coordinating wall color to go with the bright ocean colors.

To answer my own question, I found it in a cheaper version on Future Maps homepage :)

Question for map experts: Do you know of any map designs that depict the entire world but also show the U.S. in detail with state lines, etc? I admit this is very US-centric, but we have a baby arriving in about 10 weeks and I want to hang a map in his room...marked the places he has been (in utero) and continue marking it as his life unfolds. Since he's likely to travel more domestically in the near future, it would be nice to see more detail in the U.S. portion. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Maps are not art. They belong in children's rooms, where they are useful.

You know, just because you can hang it doesn't mean it's art.

I just bought a world map at IKEA. While not everything is accurate (they spell Cyprus Chyprus), it's a cool map. To those that don't understand decorating with maps - it's a beautiful acknowledgment of the world we live in, and all those "other" places we don't always remember.

This is so timely. We're in the midst of an office move, and I found 3 giant laminated city maps behind a cabinet: Phoenix, Denver, and Las Vegas.

Is there any kind of market for these things? I would love to find them an appreciative home. They're about 4' x 4', so too big to ship, but colorful and look pretty cool.

we actually JUST got our maps back up on the wall! after a move from san francisco (i got two italian maps from PEARL on market and framed those and 4 images from our honeymoon in italy) it took some time to find the perfect spot for them! we painted some IKEA lack shelves from the previous owners and we've already gotten tons of comments on people LOVING the maps...it's such a great addition because we love to spend our money on travelling! cheers

minimalist1 - I agree completely - too many people hang things that never were meant to be.

I can see a map in a child's room and definitely in a classroom - but not in a common room. Do people really think that looking at a map is cool? It actually isn't since most of the time maps are not to scale and several misspell locations. I put this in the same category as hanging plates and even posters.

Lol, so looking at a fruit, an idiotic text about staying calm, a piece of a city in the shape of a photo (= huge close-up of a map really) or maybe a "risqué" picture of a naked body in some bold position is better?

What's the "right" thing to hang up on a wall that would qualify as art?

Who says it's "art"?

Is it still "art" if I don't agree with you?

Isn't "art" supposed to be useful? (Is art by definition then something useless?)

For the record, I love maps and think they are wonderful conversation starters as well as triggers of hopes and dreams. I think that qualifies as art but maybe I'm wrong? I don't think I'm wrong :P

Oh, I think I forgot the best ones:

Are you only allowed to hang up "art" on your walls?

Who made the above rule? (Why wasn't I informed?)

I find both beauty and utility in most maps and they're the only kind of wall decoration that doesn't bore me.

Laminated 50"x32" US and World maps have made great decor for me. Sometimes I just find myself calmed by looking at the wide expanse of ocean blue on the world map and sometimes I spot check how many US state capitals I can remeber since much time and effort was spent learning these to pass elementary school tests.
I also use them for trip planning and have no problem marking them up knowing a few swipes of wet cloth will make the maps as good as new.

Good stuff :)

My husband and I are sailors and we had our first sailboat in Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne. I still have the dog-eared chart we used for sailing in that area and now that we have sold (*sob*) our boat and moved to Munich, I would like to have it framed and hang it up in our office to remind us of all the wonderful trips we did on little 27ft Indigo.

I like maps as a reminder of places visited and adventures to come.

As to the "rules" given here about where to put maps, I simply say to put them where you want. It is your apartment, love the stuff around you. Forget the rules and the silly people seem to insist on them.

"Maps are not art."

Art police, who says?

Devonc said:

I just bought a world map at IKEA. While not everything is accurate (they spell Cyprus Chyprus), it's a cool map.

Daylight says:

It was probably made in a print sweat shop in some third world country so obsure it's not even on a map.