Champlain's Dream January 1, 2009

October 16th, 2008 - January 2nd, 2009
Monday - Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm

In an era before Mapquest, Google Maps and GPS, travellers relied on explorers to show us the way. The Embassy of Canada is proud to host Champlain’s Dream, a collection of priceless notebooks, maps and documents, some of which were drawn by Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Québec City and one of the first cartographers of North America.

"This collection provides a window on Champlain’s explorations and the critical role he played in the development of both our countries by mapping the North East," said Michael Wilson, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States. "This exhibit coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City, the cradle of French language and culture in North America."

Known as the Father of New France, Samuel de Champlain was integral in opening North America to French commerce — especially the fur trade. His travels took him along the Saint Lawrence River and as far south as New York State and Vermont, where he mapped what is now known as Lake Champlain.

"This is one of the world's best collections of a great American explorer. What I find fascinating is how expansive Champlain's vision of New France was, incorporating large sections of New England and New York. The U.S.-Canada border has always been more fluid than a simple line on a map,” explained Ted Widmer, Director of the John Carter Brown Library.

Curated by the John Carter Brown Library of Rhode Island and in partnership with the Québec Government, Bombardier, and Sun Life, the Champlain's Dream exhibit is named after a book released this week by Pulitzer award-winning author, David Hackett Fischer.

Official Website: http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/John_Carter_Brown_Library/Champlainexhib/indexChamplain.html