31st International Conference on the History of Cartography. Bridging the Past and Present in Cartography

The Faculty of Science of Charles University, the Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Moravian Library in Brno, the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University, and the Czech Geographical Society, under the auspices of the Czech Cartographic Society, are pleased to invite proposals for papers and posters for the 31st International Conference on the History of Cartography, taking place from 7 to 11 July 2026. ICHC is the only academic conference solely dedicated to advancing knowledge of the history of maps and mapmaking, regardless of geographical region, language, period or topic. ICHC promotes free and unfettered global cooperation and collaboration among cartographic scholars from many academic disciplines, curators, collectors, dealers and institutions through illustrated lectures, presentations, exhibitions, and a social program. In order to expand awareness of issues and resources, each conference is sponsored by a leading educational and cultural institution.

The biennial conferences are organized in conjunction with Imago Mundi CIO. ICHC 2026 builds upon Czechia’s robust tradition of research in the history of cartography and related disciplines, a tradition that has flourished for more than a century.

Under the broad rubric of Bridging the Past and Present in Cartography, ICHC 2026 welcomes paper and poster presentations on the following themes.

1) Maps and Tourism

Encompasses the role of maps and related works in promoting tourism to regions or particular destinations and in the experience of touristic places.

2) Maps as Artefacts

Investigates the nature of maps as cultural objects that circulate within the marketplace and other networks, and that are variously collected and preserved within institutions of memory (GLAM).

3) The Third Dimension: Representing Elevation on Maps

Explores the particular strategies developed to represent the earth’s crumpled surface of hills and valleys for specific tasks, from military and geological mapping to forest management.

4) Mapping the Past: Historical Cartography at the Turn of the Digital Era

Pursues interdisciplinary and critical perspectives on the ideological implications of new digital technologies in mapping the past, including the risks of distortion and of the instrumentalisation of historical content for political or ideological purposes.

And any other aspect of the history of cartography

Call for Papers

Proposal submission now open. Please submit proposals for paper and poster presentations at www.ichc2026.org.

Key Dates:

• Opening of the call for papers: 15 July 2025
• Deadline for submission of proposals: 14 November 2025
• Notification of acceptance: 15 January 2026
• Early Bird Registration: until 15 April 2026

Estimated Registration Fees:

• Regular: 340 EUR
• Students: 150 EUR

Papers: Paper presentations will comprise 15 minutes for presentation, followed by a short discussion.

Posters: Posters will be installed for a dedicated session on the second morning of the conference and will remain on display through the remainder of the conference.

Panel proposals: We welcome the proposal of organized sessions. However, proposals for paper presentations, whether by one or more presenters, must be submitted and evaluated individually. Therefore, if a proposed paper is intended for an organized session, please include the information at the end of the submission form. The session’s organizer must also submit a separate proposal for the session that lists all the papers and presenters.

Workshops: In addition to the academic programme, four thematic workshops will be organised.

Scholarships: The Kislak Family Foundation will provide scholarship opportunities for up to 5 participants. More information at https://ichc2026.org/fellowship/.

Conference Venues: ICHC 2026 will convene in the historical campus of the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague (Albertov); the Moravian Library in Brno; and the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University (Brno). Participants will have the opportunity to engage with key cartographic collections and take part in thematic exhibitions, guided tours, field trips, and social events.

Inquiries: ichc2026@hiu.cas.cz