When you hear the word “collection,” you may think of paintings, postage stamps, or planes. But the Smithsonian also cares for living collections, including plants and animals. The items in this case show how libraries and archives complement and enhance the stories of living collections.
Recently, Smithsonian Gardens partnered with Smithsonian Libraries and Archives on the exhibition Cultivating America’s Gardens.
Smithsonian Gardens cares for a vast collection of living plants, from trees to orchids, as well as horticultural artifacts. Smithsonian Gardens is also home to the Archives of American Gardens, which collects, preserves, and provides access to resources that document the history of gardens in America.
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives has its own holdings of over 2.8 million library volumes in subjects ranging from art to zoology. It also has more than 44,000 cubic feet of archival records chronicling the growth and development of the Smithsonian.
Collection of the Archives of American Gardens