This paper is an exposition of the theory of the hyperspaces 2^X and C(X) of a topological space X. These spaces are obtained from X by collecting the nonempty closed and nonempty closed connected subsets respectively, and are topologized by the Vietoris topology. The paper is organized in terms of increasing specialization of spaces, beginning with T1 spaces and proceeding through compact spaces, compact metric spaces and metric continua. Several basic techniques in hyperspace theory are discussed, and these techniques are applied to elucidate the topological structure of hyperspaces.

If X is a topological space and Y is a ring of closed sets, then a necessary and sufficient condition for the Wallman space W(X,F) to be a compactification of X is that X be T1 andYF separating. A necessary and sufficient condition for a Wallman compactification to be Hausdoff is that F be a normal base. As a result, not all T, compactifications can be of Wallman type. One point and finite Hausdorff compactifications are of Wallman type.