Fantastic Worlds

Fantastic Worlds

The companion collection to our exhibition Fantastic Worlds: Science and Fiction 1780-1910. Travel back to a time when new frontiers of science were emerging. We took to the air, charted remote corners of the earth, and harnessed the power of steam and electricity. Writers explored the farther reaches of this new scientific landscape to craft novels, hoaxes, and satires that captured the imagination of readers.

Cover of Adventures of two youths in the open Polar Sea. The voyage of the Vivian to the north pole and beyond.

Adventures of two youths in the open Polar Sea

Knox, Thomas Wallace
Harper & Brothers
1885
Cover of Airopaidia- containing the narrative of a balloon excursion from Chester, the eighth of September, 1785, taken from minutes made during the voyage- hi

Airopaidia

Baldwin, Thomas, aeronaut
Printed for the author, by J. Fletcher; and sold by W. Lowndes ... London; J. Poole, Chester; and other booksellers
1786
Cover of Aloysii Galvani De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius

Aloysii Galvani De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius

Galvani, Luigi
Ex Typographia Instituti Scientiarium
1791

59. Animal Electricity
Cover of An account of the late improvements in galvanism - with a series of curious and interesting experiments performed before the commissioners of the Fren

An account of the late improvements in galvanism

Aldini, Giovanni
Printed for Cuthell and Martin ... and J. Murray ... by Wilks and Taylor ...
1803
Cover of Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux being the narrative of an expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, in the years 1860, 1861, and 1862

Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux

Hall, Charles Francis
Harper & Brothers
1865
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd. 10

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.1 (1890)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.2 (1890)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.3 (1891)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.4 (1891)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.5 (1891)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.6 (1892)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.7 (1892)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.8 (1892)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Brehms Tierleben allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs - mit 1800 Abbildungen im Text, 9 Karten und 180 Tafeln in Farbendruck und Holzschnitt

Brehms Tierleben Bd.9 (1892)

Brehm, Alfred Edmund; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard; Haacke, Wilhelm
Bibliographisches Institut
1890-1893
Cover of Cinq semaines en ballon voyage de découvertes en Afrique par trois Anglais

Cinq semaines en ballon

Verne, Jules; Riou, Edouard; Montaut, Henri de
J. Hetzel et Cie
c1867
Cover of Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst - ein Beitrag zur Systematik der Flugtechnik

Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst

Lilienthal, Otto; Lilienthal, Gustav
R. Gaertners Verlagsbuchhandlung, Hermann Heyfelder ...
1889
Cover of Description des expériences de la machine aérostatique de MM.

Description des expériences de la machine aérostatique de MM. de Montgolfier

Faujas-de-St.-Fond, cit; Imprimerie de Chardon,; Evelyn Way Kendall Ballooning and Early Aviation Collection.
Chez Cuchet ...
1783
Cover of Description of an artificial hand.

Description of an artificial hand

Cayley, George, Sir
Tyler and Reed
1845
Cover of Dickinsons' comprehensive pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851

Dickinsons' comprehensive pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851

Nash, Joseph; Haghe, Louis; Roberts, David; Dickinson Brothers (Firm)
Dickinson, Brothers, Her Majesty's Publishers
1854 [i.e. 1852]
Cover of Discours sur les révolutions de la surface du globe et sur les changemens qu'elles ont produits dans le régne animal

Discours sur les révolutions de la surface du globe

Cuvier, Georges, baron
Chez G. Dufour et Ed. d'Ocagne
1826
Cover of Elements of chemical philosophy

Elements of chemical philosophy

Davy, Humphry, Sir
Printed for J. Johnson and Co. ...
1812
Cover of Erewhon, or, Over the range

Erewhon, or, Over the range

Butler, Samuel
Trübner & Co.
1872
Cover of Essai théorique et expérimental sur le galvanisme avec une série d'expériences faites en présence des Commissaires de l'Institut national de Fran

Essai théorique et expérimental sur le galvanisme

Aldini, Giovanni
De l'Imprimerie de Fournier fils
an 12, 1804
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 13

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 16

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 2

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 25

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 35

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 44

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 49

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 7

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 73

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 74

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 84

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Frank Reade weekly magazine - containing stories of adventures on land, sea & in the air.

Frank Reade weekly magazine No. 92

Senarens, Luis
Frank Tousey
1902-1904
Cover of Geological text-book, prepared for popular lectures on North American geology with applications to agriculture and the arts

Geological text-book, prepared for popular lectures on North American geology

Eaton, Amos
Printed by Websters and Skinners
1830
Cover of Glaucus, or, The wonders of the shore

Glaucus, or, The wonders of the shore

Kingsley, Charles
Macmillan and Co.
1859
Cover of Iconographic encyclopaedia of science, literature, and art

Iconographic encyclopaedia of science, literature, and art v.1 (1851) [Atlas]

Heck, J. G.; Baird, Spencer Fullerton
R. Garrigue
1852
Cover of Iconographic encyclopaedia of science, literature, and art

Iconographic encyclopaedia of science, literature, and art v.2 (1851) [Atlas]

Heck, J. G.; Baird, Spencer Fullerton
R. Garrigue
1852
Cover of Illustrated & descriptive catalogue A. Siebe, inventor of the close diving dress - established 1820

Illustrated & descriptive catalogue A. Siebe, inventor of the close diving dress

Siebe & Gorman (Firm); Siebe, A.
Siebe & Gorman
[1870?]
Cover of Journeys to the planet Mars, or, Our mission to Ento

Journeys to the planet Mars, or, Our mission to Ento

Weiss, Sara
Bradford Press
c1903
Cover of Kunstformen der Natur

Kunstformen der Natur

Haeckel, Ernst; Bibliographisches Institut (Leipzig, Germany)
Verlag des Bibliographischen Instituts
1899-1904
Cover of L'aventure de Nicolas Corbin

L'aventure de Nicolas Corbin

Champagne, Maurice
Librairie Ch. Delagrave ...
[between 1890 and 1910]
Cover of Le vingtième siècle - texte et dessins

Le vingtième siècle

Robida, Albert
Librairie Illustrée
[188-?]
Cover of Les terres du ciel; voyage astronomique sur les autres mondes et description des conditions actuelles de la vie sur les diverses planètes du système

Les terres du ciel

Flammarion, Camille; Imprimerie Lemercier et cie,; E. Bernard et cie,
C. Marpon et E. Flammarion
1884
Cover of Missionary travels and researches in South Africa - including a sketch of sixteen years' residence in the interior of Africa, and a journey from the C

Missionary travels and researches in South Africa c.1

Livingstone, David; Day & Son,; William Clowes and Sons,; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
J. Murray
1857
Cover of News from nowhere, or, An epoch of rest

News from nowhere, or, An epoch of rest

Morris, William
Printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press
1892
Cover of Northward ho!, or, Baffled, not beaten

Northward ho!, or, Baffled, not beaten

Barri, Odoardo; Cheyne, John P.; Concanen, Alfred; Stannard & Son; Bella C. Landauer Collection of Aeronautical Sheet Music (Smithsonian Institution. Libraries)
J.B. Cramer & Co
[1879]
Cover of Ozma of Oz a record of her adventures with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, the yellow hen, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, Tiktok, the cowardly lion and the h

Ozma of Oz

Baum, L. Frank
The Reilly & Britton Co
[c1907]
Cover of Practical remarks on aerial navigation

Practical remarks on aerial navigation

Cayley, George, Sir
s.n.]
1837
Cover of Principles of geology - being an attempt to explain the former changes of the earth's surface, by reference to causes now in operation

Principles of geology v. 1

Lyell, Charles, Sir; Deshayes, G. P.
John Murray ...
1830-1833
Cover of Principles of geology v. 2

Principles of geology v. 2

Lyell, Charles, Sir; Deshayes, G. P.
John Murray ...
1830-1833
Cover of Principles of geology - being an attempt to explain the former changes of the earth's surface, by reference to causes now in operation

Principles of geology v. 3

Lyell, Charles, Sir; Deshayes, G. P.
John Murray ...
1830-1833
Cover of Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H. M. S. Challenger during the the years 1873-76 under the command of Captain George S.

Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H. M. S. Challenger during the the years 1873-76 under the command of Captain George S. Nares v.32=pt.82 (1889)

Great Britain. Challenger Office; Thomson, C. Wyville; Murray, John, Sir; Nares, George S.; Thomson, Frank Tourle
Printed for H. M. Stationary off. [by Neill and company]
1880-1895
Cover of Smith's illustrated astronomy - designed for the use of the public or common schools in the United States ; illustrated with numerous original diagram

Smith's illustrated astronomy

Smith, Asa
Published by Cady & Burgess ...
1849
Cover of The adventures of Baron Munchausen

The adventures of Baron Munchausen

Doré, Gustave; Shore, T. Teignmouth
Cassell, Petter and Galpin
[1867?]
Cover of The cruise of the Snowbird a story of Arctic adventure

The cruise of the Snowbird

Stables, Gordon
A.C. Armstrong
1884
Cover of The lake regions of Central Africa a picture of exploration

The lake regions of Central Africa v.1 (1860)

Burton, Richard Francis; Phillips, George Faudel; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts
1860
Cover of The lake regions of Central Africa a picture of exploration

The lake regions of Central Africa v.2 (1860)

Burton, Richard Francis; Phillips, George Faudel; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts
1860
Cover of The life and adventures of Peter Wilkins, a Cornish man - taken from his own mouth, in his passage to England, from off Cape Horn in America, in the s

The life and adventures of Peter Wilkins, a Cornish man

Paltock, Robert
Printed for Harrison and co. ...
1783
Cover of The log of the 'Flying Fish'

The log of the "Flying Fish"

Collingwood, Harry
Blackie & Son
1887
Cover of The modern philosopher, or, Terrible tractoration! - in four cantos, most respectfully addressed to the Royal College of Physicians, London

The modern philosopher, or, Terrible tractoration!

Fessenden, Thomas Green
From the Lorenzo Press of E. Bronson
1806
Cover of The moon hoax

The moon hoax

Locke, Richard Adams; Nicollet, J. N.
W. Gowans
1859
Cover of The North Pole galop

The North Pole

De Quincey, Horace; Nixon, F.; Bella C. Landauer Collection of Aeronautical Sheet Music (Smithsonian Institution. Libraries)
[s.n.]
[ca. 1880]
Cover of The palace and park - its natural history, and its portrait gallery, together with a description of the Pompeian Court.

The palace and park

Phillips, Samuel; Forbes, Edward; Scharf, George, Sir; Owen, Richard; Latham, R. G.
Crystal Palace Library
1859
Cover of The physical geography of the sea

The physical geography of the sea

Maury, Matthew Fontaine
Sampson, Low, Son & Co.
1855
Cover of The temple of nature, or, The origin of society - a poem, with philosophical notes

The temple of nature, or, The origin of society

Darwin, Erasmus
Printed by John W. Butler, and Bonsal & Niles, for Bonsal & Niles, Samuel Butler, and M. and J. Conrad & Co.
1804
Cover of The U.S. Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. A personal narrative.

The U.S. Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin

Kane, Elisha Kent
Harper & Brothers
1854
Cover of The war in the air and particularly how Mr. Bert Smallways fared while it lasted

The war in the air

Wells, H. G.
G. Bell and Sons
1908
Cover of Thirty plates illustrative of natural phenomena, etc. - with a short description annexed to each plate

Thirty plates illustrative of natural phenomena, etc

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (Great Britain)
The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge ...
1846
Cover of Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa - being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s government in the yea

Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa v.2 (1857)

Barth, Heinrich; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
D. Appleton
1857-58
Cover of Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa - being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s government in the yea

Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa v.3 (1857)

Barth, Heinrich; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
D. Appleton
1857-58
Cover of Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa - being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s government in the yea

Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa v.4 (1858)

Barth, Heinrich; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
D. Appleton
1857-58
Cover of Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa - being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s government in the yea

Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa v.5 (1858)

Barth, Heinrich; Russell E. Train Africana Collection (Smithsonian Libraries)
D. Appleton
1857-58
Cover of Travels in the air.

Travels in the air c. 3

Glaisher, James; Flammarion, Camille; Fonvielle, W. de; Tissandier, Gaston; Vincent Brooks, Day & Son,
R. Bentley
1871
Cover of Volcanoes and earthquakes

Volcanoes and earthquakes

Zurcher; Margollé, Élie; Lockyer, Winifred (James), Mrs.
R. Bentley
1868
Cover of Wild adventures round the pole, or The cruise of the Snowbird crew in the Arrandoon.

Wild adventures round the pole

Stables, Gordon
A.C. Armstrong
1885
Cover of With the night mail a story of 2000 A.D. - together with extracts from the contemporary magazine in which it appeared

With the night mail

Kipling, Rudyard; Leyendecker, Frank X.; Reuterdahl, Henry
Doubleday, Page & Company
1909