diff --git a/include/mapnik/map.hpp b/include/mapnik/map.hpp
index 5e3888c19..0caf51a4f 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/map.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/map.hpp
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ namespace mapnik
         Map(int width, int height, std::string const& srs="+proj=latlong +datum=WGS84");
         Map(const Map& rhs);
         Map& operator=(const Map& rhs);
+        std::map<std::string,feature_type_style> const& styles() const;
+        std::map<std::string,feature_type_style> & styles();
+        
         const_style_iterator begin_styles() const;
         const_style_iterator end_styles() const;
         style_iterator begin_styles();
diff --git a/src/map.cpp b/src/map.cpp
index 89011dae3..15b538a5f 100644
--- a/src/map.cpp
+++ b/src/map.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,17 @@ namespace mapnik
         layers_=rhs.layers_;
         return *this;
     }
-    
+   
+   std::map<std::string,feature_type_style> const& Map::styles() const
+   {
+      return styles_;
+   }
+   
+   std::map<std::string,feature_type_style> & Map::styles()
+   {
+      return styles_;
+   }
+   
     Map::style_iterator Map::begin_styles()
     {
         return styles_.begin();