August 2018 marks 250 years since Captain James Cook set sail on a voyage of discovery considered by many to be the most significant in world history. Inspired by some of The Portico Library’s most fascinating items – first editions of Cook’s illustrated journals and the accompanying publications – we will select and present items from the collection that expose some of the motivating ideologies and streams of thought behind the encounters of the period.

This exhibition will take the form of a unique textile installation, accompanied by further treasures from the Library’s collection published during Cook’s lifetime, including Carl Linnaeus’ pioneering natural history volume 'Flora Lapponica', Adam Smith’s master work 'The Wealth of Nations', and Voltaire’s revolutionary satire 'Candide'. This project marks the start of a new ongoing collaboration with members of the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King’s College London.

Map of Senegal, 1756

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Click here to download the original exhibition panels as a PDF