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Natural history collections have served as libraries of our world’s biodiversity for centuries. These libraries—holding plants, fungi and insects—are known as herbaria. There are over 3,565 herbaria

Denver Botanic Gardens houses more than 100,000 preserved plant, fungal and insect specimens that are used for a multitude of purposes including scientific study. As part of my job as the collection's

Author Sherry Anderson has a quote that sums up the value of volunteers quite well: “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” We in the Research &

Since starting as the collections assistant last October, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of getting to know the volunteers working in the Gardens’ natural history collections. Each has their own

Did you know that anyone with an internet connection can take a virtual tour of the Gardens’ natural history collections? Our collections hold plant, fungal and arthropod specimens – organisms

In winter, the collection of new plant and fungal specimens stops altogether. However, the collectors of specimens made the previous summer are still working hard to prepare these for incorporation

This June, I attended the annual Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) meeting in Edinburgh, UK. SPNHC is an international society whose mission is to improve the

We have a goal at the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants to have a collection with a representative specimen of every species of vascular plant occurring in the state of Colorado. This

Activities in Denver Botanic Gardens’ Research and Conservation Department are highly influenced by the seasons. Scientists at the Gardens take advantage of the entire growing season by collecting

People often think that when you’re a botanist, your favorite time of the year must be summer. Well, I do love summer, but fall is actually my favorite season. Why? Because I can finally relax! Summer

Greetings from the new head curator of natural history collections, Jennifer Ackerfield (me!). Although I am new to the Gardens, I have been studying the flora of Colorado for over 20 years. Many of