Maps of Movies
Knowing (2009)
Where Knowing says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A story set in Lexington and New York, filmed almost entirely in Melbourne
View on the map
Scenes and places
The school where the numbers are buried
At the school's opening in 1959, students draw their idea of the future. Lucinda fills her page with numbers while whispering voices guide her, and the work goes into a time capsule.
Set in William Dawes Elementary, Lexington, Massachusetts — A fictional 1959 elementary school in Lexington where a time capsule is sealed. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The Lexington coordinates are the town, since the school is fictional.
Filmed at Camberwell High School, Canterbury, Victoria — Camberwell High School was converted into the fictional William Dawes Elementary. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The lecture hall at MIT
John lectures on the Sun and on whether the universe has a purpose or is pure chance. Asked what he himself believes, he says things just happen, then ends the class.
Set in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge — John Koestler's workplace, an astrophysics professor at MIT. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The oldest university in the state of Victoria; an MIT stand-in only by one blog.
Filmed at University of Melbourne — One travel blog names the University of Melbourne as the MIT stand-in; Wikipedia does not list it. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The plane crash on the road
John, on his way to pick up his son, witnesses a plane crash and tries to help. He realizes it is the first event on Lucinda's list.
Set in Road near Lexington, Massachusetts — The roadside crash John witnesses, the first event on Lucinda's list. The exact road is not named.
A road stretch with no public coordinate; Wikipedia only names the freeway.
The museum where John meets Diana
John meets Diana while their children play. Caleb signs with Diana's daughter, and John tells her he teaches astrophysics at MIT.
Set in A museum, Boston area (not named in the film) — A museum visit where the two families meet; the film does not name it.
Melbourne's main natural-history museum, in Carlton.
Filmed at Melbourne Museum, Carlton — Wikipedia lists the Melbourne Museum as a filming location; a blog places the dinosaur-hall scene there. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The street corner in New York
Following Lucinda's numbers, John chases the next event to New York City. A phone call names the corner of Lafayette and Worth Streets.
Set in Lafayette and Worth Streets, New York City — The street where a phone tip says a disaster will strike. The coordinate is Lafayette Street, not the corner. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Lafayette and Worth Streets meet in lower Manhattan; Melbourne's Collins Street stands in.
Filmed at Collins Street at William Street, Melbourne — A blog and the state screen office name Collins Street (the William Street corner is one blog's claim); the point given is Collins Street, not the corner. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The observatory
John, driven by a revelation, rushes to the observatory to test what the numbers mean. What he learns changes what he does next.
Set in MIT observatory — Where John goes for help reading the numbers; the location in the story is an MIT observatory.
The Synchrotron is a research accelerator in Melbourne's south-east.
Filmed at Australian Synchrotron, Clayton — Interior shots at the Australian Synchrotron represent an observatory. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at Haystack Observatory, Westford, Massachusetts — Filming also took place here; the film scene is not specified. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The city in chaos
A disaster sequence unfolds across Boston streets. The scene plays without sound effects.
Set in Boston — A disaster sequence set in Boston; the exact street is not named. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Melbourne's Parliament House on Spring Street stands in only by one blog.
Filmed at Parliament House, Melbourne — One travel blog places the Boston chaos scene at Parliament House. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at "Cooinda", Mount Macedon — Home and garden scenes (the Koestler house) Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Southbank / Docklands, Melbourne — New York cafe scene (order unknown) Google Maps · Apple Maps
Characters
- John Koestler — An MIT astrophysics professor and widower.
- Caleb Koestler — John's 9-year-old son, who receives Lucinda's paper.
- Diana — Lucinda's daughter, whom John tracks down.
- Lucinda Embry — The 1959 schoolgirl whose page of numbers goes into the time capsule.