The Mercator Museum is a museum in the East Flemish town of Sint-Niklaas .

The full history of cartography is disclosed in the museum . The central figure is the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator , an instrument maker and engraver who was considered the Ptolemy of his time during his lifetime . One learns everything about the orientation techniques, up to and including the modern methods applied by the National Geographic Institute .

Part of the museum is devoted to original 16th-century globes and atlases , from the rich Mercator collection of the Royal Archaeological Circle of the Land van Waas. The highlights of the museum are two authentic globes by Gerardus Mercator. The first globe or sphere represents the earth (see photo); on the other globe Mercator represented the sky and space. They are the only Mercator globes in Belgium. Unique pieces made famous cartographer for an employee of Emperor Charles V .