The only remaining known copy of Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map — the first to name the New World “America” — is owned by the Library of Congress. (Four gores also survive, according to the Waldseemüller Wikipedia page; one of these, I guess, went for auction last year.) To protect, preserve and display it, the Library of Congress is commissioning a hermetically sealed encasement, made from aluminum and similar to encasements for the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, but considerably larger (295 cm × 185 cm × 10 cm). The map will be on display in its new case in the fall of 2007. Via Map the Universe and Map History/History of Cartography.

Previously: Waldseemuller’s Map Goes for £545,600; Auction of First Map of the New World.