IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0402 AVH
Held at: Royal Geographical Society
Title: HUMBOLDT, Baron Alexander von (1769-1859)
Date(s): 1783-1848
Level of description: Collection level
Extent: 2 boxes and 3 files
Name of creator(s): Humboldt | Baron | Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr | von | 1769-1859 | German naturalist and explorer
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Born in Berlin, 1769; educated, Freiberg Academy of Mines under the famous geologist A.G. Werner; hiked around Europe with George Forester, Captain James Cook's scientific illustrator from his second voyage; government mines inspector in Franconia, Prussia, 1792-1800; expedition with botanist Aime Bonpland in South America, 1800-1803; lived in France, 1804-1827; King of Prussia's advisor, 1827-; invited to make geographical explorations of Russia by the tsar: discovered permafrost and recommended that Russia establish weather observatories across the country which were set up in 1835; gave public lectures in Berlin, 1827-1828; Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, 1856-1859, died, 1859.
Publications: Kosmos (1845)
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers of Baron A von Humboldt, 1783-1848, including letter from Paris, May 1835, to Francois Arago; facsimile of a letter from Sans Souci, 12 Aug 1848, to A K Johnston and five small geographical drawings, done at the age of 16 years.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
As outlined in Scope and Content.
Conditions governing access:
Accessed via the Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
Finding aids:
Hand list and card index.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Unknown.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Prepared by an archives volunteer using existing finding aids. Revised by Sarah Drewery.
Date(s) of descriptions: 19 November 2001; Oct 2008.