Plants from the Past: Herbarium Exhibit

Step back in time and learn about some Botanical Gardens' plant history with our brand-new Herbarium Exhibit! Get up close with several high-resolution reproductions of actual herbarium specimens, some of which are over 100 years old! Learn about the important role that the first Director of our Botanical Gardens,  John Cowell, played in creating our Botanical Gardens' extensive plant collection, and the methods he used to help preserve these living pieces of history.


A herbarium is a collection of plants that have been preserved for scientific study. Many of the specimens chosen for this exhibit were originally home to, or collected from, our Botanical Gardens. These specimens are currently housed within the Clinton Herbarium at the Buffalo Museum of Science. To learn more about the Herbarium or to get involved, please visit www.sciencebuff.org/volunteer.