The Carleton Herbarium was officially established in the 1920s, but contains specimens dating back to the late 19th century. Arboretum Director Nancy Braker and student workers continue to add to the collection as new species are found. Currently containing around 2,400 preserved plant specimens, the herbarium, which once contained specimens from around the world now contains only specimens from Carleton’s campus and Arboretum and the surrounding areas. The Herbarium is used for archival and research purposes by researchers from Carleton and beyond.
This exhibition features a selection of samples from the herbarium collected over more than 100 years, as well as examples of the tools and materials used to create the mounted and annotated specimens, with materials from the college archives to provide context.