Kolby Kirk shares some examples of his collection of National Geographic maps.

Around 1994, when I moved away from home to attend college, I was forced to get rid of most of my National Geographic magazines — a nearly complete collection of every issue back to 1929. However, I was able to keep all of the supplements/inserts since they didn’t take up much room. I’ve been looking through the three boxes and have found more than just maps, folded posters, and old panoramic photos. I’ve also found one of the reasons why I love travel. I think most people would start to feel a desire to explore the world after looking at a few maps. The beautiful and distinct fonts, the colors, the clarity. A National Geographic map is good enough to hang up on the wall and call it “art.”

His collection numbers in the hundreds; samples (portions of the entire maps, rather than completely infringing complete reproductions) can also be found on Flickr, in addition to the above blog entry.

I have to admit to a weak spot for National Geographic maps myself, and am annoyed that I don’t get more of them with our subscription. (They also tend to be more “thematic” — like the most recent one, of Iran — than the straightforward maps of yesteryear.)