Embedded Map Alternatives ?

August 11, 2009 2:38 AM

Good looking maps for embedding in web pages with a distinctive look/feel that matches the page it's within (so probably not GoogleMaps/YahooMaps/Bing) ?

I'm looking for maps for a website but don't want to the 'normal' Google look and feel. In fact ideally I would be able to tailor aspects of the maps to allow them to fit into the colour scheme of the site.

The purpose of the maps is almost as much as an illustration as it is for information (or at least 50/50).

As far as I can see there's no way to tweak Google Maps to do that ("Let's have the land green and sea yellow and not show roads at all").

Ideally maps would be available for North America and Western Europe but USA alone would be a good start.

I'd welcome any ideas even if they don't match my ideal.

posted by southof40 to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Try openstreetmaps.

Their API is available through cloudmade, and I believe you can do quite a bit of customisation.
posted by latentflip at 5:25 AM on August 11 [2 favorites has favorites]

Maker! is pretty awesome. You have lots of control over what your map looks like, but it's all cartographically good (ie. you can only turn the sea yellow if there's a reason... and have the data to back it up).

or you could hire a cartographer, but that probably only makes sense if static maps would do you.

curious about your project - care to tell us more??
posted by bellbellbell at 9:29 AM on August 11

If you're ok with flash, check out FusionMaps.
posted by jacquilinala at 10:24 AM on August 11

Three good answers - thanks to all of you. I think openstreetmaps would be best for me but the others are worthy in many ways.
curious about your project - care to tell us more??
Sure - imagine a website commenting on artists of the 19th/20th Century - page on Van Goph - fascinating and informative text is complemented by map(s) showing the sites which various pictures depict. You can see that we're not looking for great detail here it's more "Here's France and look ... this is where Arles is". The purpose isn't so much to allow you navigate to the location as to provide a
posted by southof40 at 4:44 PM on August 11

[sorry hit wrong button] ... general overview of locations.
posted by southof40 at 4:44 PM on August 11