Press Release

Behind the Scenes at Kew's Herbarium and Library...

Public Open Day, 16 & 17 September 2006, 10am – 4pm

As part of the Open House London weekend, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is opening the doors of its Herbarium and Library, normally used by botanists, horticulturists and historians, to the public on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September. Doors will be open from 10am to 4pm and entrance is free.

Kew's Herbarium contains 7,500,000 pressed and dried plant specimens, which are a vital resource for plant identification and research. The collection has been built up over 150 years and is now one of the most comprehensive in the world. This important resource is used by Kew scientists and visiting researchers from around the world.

The collection has a number of important uses. It is used as a reference for the accurate naming of plants, scientific studies including plant biochemistry and ecological surveys, and studies of plant uses including the use of plants by local people for medicinal and nutritional purposes.

Kew's Library has one of the largest collections of material in the world relating to botany, including over 150,000 monographs and 200,000 prints and drawings.

On view will be parts of the architecturally interesting Herbarium building complex, with elements dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries, and a model of the newly proposed herbarium and library extension to be opened in 2008. A series of displays will give an insight into the history of the Herbarium, include valuable specimens from the herbarium and botanical art collections, show plant collecting equipment and detail how Kew is making information on plants available electronically.

Visitors can also watch a botanical artist at work, and speak to botanists from the Herbarium working on one of Kew 's conservation projects with colleagues in the wet tropics of Africa. Librarians will also be on hand to talk about the history of Kew.

Come and glimpse a treasure trove behind the scenes, meet the team and learn more about how Kew's role in plant conservation around the world.

For Further Information

Please contact Anna Quenby, Lauren Bird or Oliver Basciano in the Kew Press Office on 020 8332 5607 or e-mail pr@kew.org.

Notes to Editors

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class herbarium as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction and its 300 acres of landscaped gardens attract over one million visitors per year. Kew was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and represents over 250 years of historical landscape. The site houses over 40 listed buildings and other structures including the Palm House, Temperate House, Orangery and Pagoda as well as two ancient monuments, Queen Charlotte's Cottage and Kew Palace. www.kew.org

Open House London Weekend is being held on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September 2006. Over 500 buildings throughout London will be open to the public. www.openhouselondon.org.

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