Map of the Voyage of Discovery

Map of the voyage of discovery: in search of spices (1488–1515).

In the late 15th century, Portugal and the Kingdom of Castile launched themselves into the oceans on an unprecedented voyage of discovery, with a single objective: to find a maritime route that would lead them to the Far East and the mythical Maluku (formerly the Moluccas or Spice) Islands, home to the much-coveted spices. That spirit of discovery, spurred on by competition and fueled by a thirst for wealth and knowledge, would transform humankind forever.

The exhibition, The Longest Journey: The First Circumnavigation of the Globe, was organized by Acción Cultural Española and Spain’s Ministry of Culture and Sport. It was based on original documents held in the General Archive of the Indies in Seville, accounts of the journey written by the crew, and other documents, letters, and accounts housed in various European libraries and archives.

Graphic from the exhibition, The Longest Journey, designed by Tannhauser Estudio.