The New York City Subway map has undergone several revisions since its inception in 1904. The first official map for all subway lines was created in 1940, after the three separate companies were consolidated under a single operator. The current iteration of the map dates from a design first published in 1979, which was created by the MTA Subway Map Committee and outsourced to a graphic design firm.
The map has evolved gradually under the control of the Marketing and Corporate Communications Department of the MTA. In 2020, the MTA released an interactive version of the map for digital devices, designed and built by a different company.
Early maps for the subway were created by the individual companies, with the IRT and BMT publishing their own maps showing their respective routes. It wasn't until 1958 that routes were distinguished from each other on subway maps. The design of the subway map by Massimo Vignelli, published by the MTA between 1972 and 1979, is considered a modern classic, but was deemed flawed due to its placement of geographical elements.
The Hertz map, which replaced the Vignelli design in 1979, contained elements that were more curved and "organic looking" while clarifying the nuances and complexities of the three former systems. The Hertz design remains in use with some stylistic differences and updates reflecting subway expansions since then.
