Geography: Globe.
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The oversized globe on display is 13 feet in circumference and is probably the first of its kind in America. It has twice been restored, once in 1940 and again in 2004, and continues to stand as a proud reminder of the many "firsts" in Perkins' long history.

The following description comes from a 1957 article called "Some Three-Dimensional Relief Globes" by William Briesmeister, which was published in The Geographical Review.

“What is possibly the oldest three-dimensional relief globe made in the United States stands in the lobby of the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass. It bears a plate with the following inscription: “Terrestrial globe made for the use of the blind by Steven P. Ruggles, 1837, at the expense of John Preston, Esq.” The globe is about 53 inches in diameter and consists of some 700 pieces of wood glued together so well that no cracks have ever shown up. It revolves in any direction. The land areas are modeled of paper-mache composition with emery and were painted to represent the lands as known to man when the globe was made; it was restored by Nelson Coon in 1940. The globe is probably the first made for the use of the blind in this country. It is an heirloom that has stood the test of time and is still in use at the School for the Blind.”