Past, Present and Imagined
How does a city work?
Explore six illustrated cities, from ancient Egypt to a settlement on Mars. Open any building, meet the people and compare how each world solves the same problems.
Choose a world Take a guided tour
Free for everyone. No sign-up, ads or tracking.
Skyscraper · Modern
Residential tower · Modern
Public library · Modern
City park · Modern
Obelisk · Egyptian
Pyramid · Egyptian
Temple gateway · Egyptian
Great Sphinx · Egyptian
Bell tower · Heavenly
Palace of light · Heavenly
Pearl gate · Heavenly
Tree of life · Heavenly
Great tree hall · Elven
Treetop village · Elven
Mushroom cottage · Elven
Pollinator meadow · Elven
The Pantheon · Roman
Amphitheater · Roman
Triumphal arch · Roman
Public fountain · Roman
Spaceport · Future
Power tower · Future
Greenhouse dome · Future
Life support dome · Future
- 6 illustrated worlds
- 232 building and vehicle pages
- 48 people to meet
- 6 guided tours
- 20 free teacher guides
- 381 free illustrations
- 398 photos of real places
Choose a world
Egypt and Rome are real history. The other four are imagined settings built around real ideas, and every page shows which is which.
Historical setting
Ancient Egypt
The real civilization on the Nile, from the pyramids to the homes of the tomb builders.
Imaginative design setting
Modern Town
A town like yours: why each building is there and who it serves.
Imaginative design setting
Elven Green World
A forest city, and the real nature technology behind each idea.
Speculative design setting
Robotic Future
How people could live, work and stay alive on the Moon and Mars.
Imagined setting, inspired by belief
Heavenly City
An imagined city of goodness: the beliefs behind it, and real kindness today.
Play and create
Build your own city, race to sort the worlds, match shadows and collect a stamp for every place you visit.
- Build your own cityMix buildings from all six worlds, then try the nine challenges.Start building
- World sortA race against the clock: send each picture home to its world.Start sorting
- Shadow matchWhose shadow is it? Find the building, person or vehicle that fits.Match shadows
- Picture puzzleSwap the mixed-up pieces until the picture is whole again.Solve a puzzle
- City quizFive quizzes: buildings, worlds, jobs, key words and people.Take the quiz
- Your city passportCollect stamps and badges. Can you visit all 232 places?See your stamps
Getting around, through time
Every city needs to move people and goods. Follow the road from Roman chariots to floating cars.
Meet the people
Senators and soldiers, runners and dog walkers, elf gardeners and Mars engineers. Find out who uses each city, and how.
Take a guided tour
Short walks led by someone who lives there, with a question at every stop.
Ancient Egypt · 8 stopsLife on the NileThe river, food, writing and great monumentsYour guide: scribe
Ancient Rome · 8 stopsRoman engineeringWater, roads and building methodsYour guide: stone carrier
Modern Town · 8 stopsModern neighborhoodsGetting around, public spaces and access for everyoneYour guide: teen with a backpack- Elven Green World · 8 stopsEcological designImaginative ideas about water, plants and shared landYour guide: gardener
- Robotic Future · 7 stopsHuman choices in robotic citiesTechnology, energy and who decidesYour guide: engineer
Heavenly City · 8 stopsA city of goodnessWelcome, sharing, learning and peaceYour guide: elder with a staff
One question, six answers
Where does clean water come from?
See how each world handles water, gathering places, safe travel, deliveries and nature, then decide which ideas would work where you live.
Lotus poolEgyptian
AqueductRoman
Plaza fountainModern
Spring circleElven
Indoor farmFuture
Fountain of lifeHeavenly
For teachers and families
Free lessons, projects and explainers with grade levels, timings, printable pages and sources.
- Project · Grades 5-9Design a city: a project-based unit for grades 5 to 9A free, step-by-step design a city project for middle school: students plan a city that meets real needs, with roles, a timeline and a rubric.
- Project · Grades 4-8Build a model Roman aqueduct: a hands-on STEM activityHow to build a working model Roman aqueduct in class with simple materials: the challenge, materials, steps, the science of slope and gravity, and questions.
- Project · Grades 5-12Design a Mars colony: a student projectA complete design a Mars colony project for students: mission brief, team roles, the needs to solve, steps, a rubric and real NASA technology to research.
Free artwork for everyone
All 381 illustrations of buildings, people and vehicles are free to save, print and reuse for any purpose under CC BY 4.0. Just credit "Illustration: The Atlas of Cities".
For grown-ups
From the shop
Board games, an activity book, a play set, classroom packs and posters, all made from these worlds. Print them at home.
A board game to printJourney Through the WorldsRace through every world, ride shortcuts and answer questions about the places you pass.Coming soon
An activity book to printActivity BookA crossword, a maze, a word scramble and a puzzle for every world.Coming soon
A play set to printBuild-a-City Play SetA big play mat and 96 stand-up buildings, people and vehicles.Coming soon
A teaching pack to printClassroom PackFact cards, worksheets with answer keys and discussion cards, in one file.Coming soon
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