The Botanical Time Capsule
For decades, a treasure trove of beautifully wrapped, preserved plant specimens sat waiting to be processed.
In the 1940s, the Chicago Academy of Sciences curator of botany, Anna Pedersen Kummer, took care to protect and store a backlog of specimens until a time when they could be processed. These specimens were originally collected between 1830 and 1910, and the time has come to begin processing and cataloguing them. Learn how the Collections and Archives team has been working with these specimens through this online exhibit.
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A Closer Look
In her role as curator of botany, Anna Pedersen Kummer aimed to put a spotlight on all plants, not just those traditionally deemed beautiful. Click to learn more about her work.
Keep Learning
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the team cares for the items in all of our collections.