Discover Eartha: The World's Largest Rotating Globe in Maine

There’s something quietly fascinating about seeing the world all at once.

In a time when most of our maps live on phone screens and navigation happens turn-by-turn, standing in front of a globe large enough to walk around feels different. It slows you down. Continents drift into view. Oceans stretch wider than you imagined. Kids start pointing — looking for Maine, tracing where grandparents live, wondering just how far away the other side of the planet really is.

Places like this remind us that learning doesn’t always have to happen in a classroom. Sometimes it happens when curiosity catches you off guard — during a quick stop between errands or a short detour on the way somewhere else.

Tucked inside a Garmin office building in Yarmouth is one of those unexpected places. It’s called Eartha, and it happens to be the largest rotating globe in the world.

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A Maine Landmark Built for Maps

Eartha was created by the Maine-based mapping company DeLorme and completed in 1998 after two years of design and construction. The project was led by company founder David DeLorme, who envisioned a globe that would represent Earth as it appears from space.

In 1999, Eartha earned the Guinness World Record for the largest rotating and revolving globe—a title it still holds today.

Some of Eartha’s most interesting details include:

Diameter: 41+ feet (12.5 meters)
Weight: approximately 5,600 pounds
Scale: 1:1,000,000 (1 inch equals about 16 miles)
Rotation: completes a full rotation about every 18 minutes
Axial tilt: mounted at 23.5°, just like the Earth itself

The surface imagery was originally created using a massive database of satellite images, shaded relief, ocean depth data, and mapping information. In 2023, Eartha received a new updated surface, refreshing the satellite imagery that wraps around the globe.

Today, the globe remains inside the building that once housed DeLorme and is now part of Garmin’s Yarmouth offices.

What It’s Like to Visit Eartha

Eartha sits inside a three-story glass atrium, allowing visitors to view the globe from multiple levels.

This layout makes the experience surprisingly interactive. As the globe slowly rotates, visitors can:

Walk around the ground floor to see continents at eye level
Head up to the second or third floors for views of the northern hemisphere
Watch as oceans, mountain ranges, and cities rotate into view

Because the atrium is made of glass, Eartha can also be seen from outside the building—and at night the illuminated globe is visible from nearby Route 1.

A child pointing at an educational poster titled 'The Earth as Earth' featuring a map of Earth and details about celestial bodies in the solar system.

For kids especially, it becomes a giant geography lesson. Many visitors spend time trying to locate Maine, trace mountain ranges, or spot places they’ve traveled.

Grab a Coffee While You’re There

Inside the same building lobby you’ll also find Magno Terra Café, a casual café serving food, coffee, and smoothies.

It’s an easy way to turn the visit into a simple outing:

Stop in to see Eartha rotate overhead
Grab a coffee or smoothie
Sit in the lobby and watch the globe slowly spin

Because the attraction is free to visit—it pairs well with other outings nearby.

Planning Your Visit

Location:
Garmin Campus
2 DeLorme Drive
Yarmouth, Maine

Cost:
Free

Access:
Open to the public during weekday business hours.

Why Eartha Is Worth the Stop

New England has plenty of beautiful places to explore outdoors, but Eartha offers something different. It’s a simple, quick stop that feels surprisingly memorable—especially for kids seeing the scale of the planet in front of them.

A modern lobby featuring a world map on the wall, interactive displays about mapping and navigation, and stylish orange seating on a blue rug.

There’s something fascinating about watching continents slowly rotate past, realizing just how small Maine looks on a globe this size.

If you’re heading through Yarmouth, it’s an easy detour that turns an ordinary errand or drive into a small moment of curiosity and discovery.

Keep Finding Simple Places to Explore

Looking for more simple, realistic outing ideas near Sebago Lake — especially ones that are easy to fit between school schedules, errands, and everyday life?

The Lake Region Kids Calendar is updated weekly with local events, outdoor spots, indoor stops, and low-pressure places families can explore together — so you can spend less time searching and more time actually getting out of the house.

Places like Eartha are a good reminder that memorable outings don’t always require a big plan. Sometimes it’s a quick stop on the way somewhere else, a cup of coffee in a lobby café, and a few minutes watching the world slowly turn.

When communities make space for simple experiences like this — places that are accessible, educational, and easy for families to visit — it gives kids a chance to stay curious about the world around them.

View our full calendar for a complete list of events happening this week near Sebago Lake.

Looking for a particular community focused business or service near Sebago Lake? Explore the listings in our Local Directory.

If you want weekly ideas like this delivered straight to your inbox — along with local events, outdoor spots, and family-friendly finds — be sure to subscribe to the Lake Region Kids email newsletter so you never miss what’s happening nearby.

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