See, the world maps we’ve been using for centuries don’t show the most accurate appearance of the landmasses, either. But the Equal Earth World Map is changing that.

Explore the Sunderland Collection’s stunning maps and atlases, spanning European mapmakers from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment. Historical maps, like this world map from the Portolan Atlas ...

A hiker and outdoorsman, Mr. Thomas as a child yearned for a world where nature ruled supreme. His map represents the “idealistic planet that I wanted,” Mr. Thomas, 34, said.