Exploring the Early Americas

The Library of Congress

Exploring the Early Americas, an exhibition featuring the Jay I. Kislak Collection at the Library of Congress, opened in the winter of 2007. Over 3,000 artifacts, paintings, rare maps, documents, and prints provide insight into the rich history and cultural interactions that shaped the Americas. The collection, presented in three distinct sections (Pre-Contact America, Explorations and Encounters, and Aftermath of the Encounter), allows visitors to explore the cultures of indigenous peoples, as well as the profound changes that occurred as a result of interactions with European explorers. Waldseemüller maps from 1507 and 1516 illustrate how these interactions facilitated understanding of geography and history, while interactive elements provide opportunities to examine individual pieces of the collection in greater detail.