Bruce Peel Special Collections

For four centuries, European explorers sailed the Arctic hoping to establish a maritime trade route to Asia. They sought a northwest passage through the Arctic Archipelago in what is now the Canadian north. Early maps were misleading and riddled with errors, and one of the accomplishments of this period of exploration was the mapping of the Archipelago’s many islands and straits.  What began as a collection of rare books—accounts of voyages, journals of explorers, and scientific reports—has since expanded to include pamphlets, photo albums, posters, and other ephemera, and contains works by such notable figures as James Cook and Sir John Franklin. These items cover a range of topics related to the north, including geography, atmospheric conditions, plant and animal life, and the lives of the Indigenous peoples the explorers encountered. The many travel accounts, detailed maps, and striking images make this collection a valuable resource for those interested in Arctic life and exploration.

Access: Bruce Peel Special Collections houses a growing selection of works from this period, spread across several of the library’s collections, including the A.C. Rutherford Collection and the Gregory Javitch Collection.

Collection Formats: 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, Books, Ephemera -- click to see other collections with this format