Drawing on cartography, urban design and visual data modelling, we consider how people navigate, or fail to navigate, the mental, physical and social spaces of knowledge communities. Cartographically inspired critical thinking offers opportunities to re-examine the assumptions and formal maps of post-secondary institutions, visualizing complexities such as knowledge circulation and ownership, and knowledge seekers' regulated or unregulated traffic. We explore the contrast between the formal view given by typical institutional maps, and the uncovered view shown by maps of collective student activity generated by our prototype visualization tools. We suggest that a critical stance and consultative approaches to institutional mapping might foster collective reflection, empowerment, inquiry and engagement in academic development. (Contains 6 figures.)