Published in 1823, this is an account of an institution central to the history of natural sciences, written by its librarian at a key point in its development.

The Cosmographia is a guide to the discipline of cosmography, which Apian described as 'the description of the world (which consists of four elements, Earth, Water, Air, & Fire), also of the Sun, the Moon, & all the stars, & of the heavens with whatever vault covers them.'