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Mistakes on Maps is a witty, visually immersive journey through 20 historical maps, each featuring a fascinating flaw. Encounter sea monsters in the 1539 Carta Marina, the phantom continent of Terra Australis, California drawn as an island, the Open Polar Sea, canals on Mars, and the Mountains of Kong. Were these errors accidents, ambition, propaganda or fear of empty space? Along the way, see how trade, empire, faith and imagination bent geography. Through projected maps, story and music, this show reveals how cartographers got it wrong, and what their errors reveal about us.
This is an archived listing from the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Mistakes on Maps is by Tom Paper, listed under Spoken Word in the Fringe programme. It plays at Library of Mistakes, 33A Melville Street Lane, EH3 7QB, 7 August to 30 August.
The show runs 50 minutes and is suitable for ages 12+. Tickets from £8.