Missouri Botanical Garden

About Missouri Botanical Garden

Founded in 1859 by philanthropist Henry Shaw, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the nation's oldest botanical gardens in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. From its earliest years, the Garden partnered with leading botanists of his era to establish it as a center of serious scientific inquiry. That founding commitment to plant science remains central to the Garden's identity today, making it one of the rare institutions where world-class research and beautiful horticulture displays coexist on the same grounds. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display. The Garden’s living collection includes nearly 60,000 plantings, representing more than 17,000 plant taxa, including nearly 1,500 rare and threatened taxa. The Garden also works locally, nationally, and globally to protect plant life. Garden scientists describe about 200 new plant species a year, roughly 10 percent of all new plant species scientists describe worldwide annually. Many newly-described species are critically endangered and at risk of disappearing. The Garden’s Herbarium is one of the largest in the world with more than 8 million specimens. Garden scientists conduct fieldwork throughout the U.S., particularly in the Midwest, including genetics and applied research that inform conservation strategies. Garden scientists are actively working 154 of 941 plant species federally listed via the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Globally, Garden scientists work in more than 35 countries, including permanent staff in Peru, Bolivia and Madagascar. Madagascar is home to the Garden’s largest in-country program with more than 150 local staff members. All global research and conservation is done in partnership with local communities. More than 165 years since its founding, the Missouri Botanical Garden is both a global leader and a local gem, enriching the lives of more than 1 million annual visitors and advancing plant science and conservation worldwide.