Through observation of the natural world, we as a species attempt to know, contain, and control the world we inhabit. The history of scientific classification is wrought with interesting contradictions centralized around the struggle between individual subjectivity and the ideals of rationality. The desire to collect and create personal meaning through naming and organization can be traced in the city of Rome between Pliny the Elder's encyclopedia of natural phenomena Naturalis Historia, to the Accademia dei Lincei where some of the first micrographs were made with the newly invented microscope, to the current biotechnology research at the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

Scientiae Historia Romae: an Interactive Map will utilize Google maps, GPS data tagging and embedded Flash modules to tell a series of interlocking narratives about the evolution of the natural sciences in Rome. Portable to a website or a handheld device, visitors will explore interactive maps laced with podcasts, articles, animations and videos allowing them to mine the history of particular locations throughout the city and its environs. Downloable paper models of scientific objects and printable maps with walking tours will offer both high and low tech interaction with the site content.

The Scientiae Historia Romae will be a multi-layered interactive map that lets visitors explore the evolution of the sciences in the city of Rome from Pliny the Elder to current biotechnology.


Digital sketches for the map design and user interface