Botany — The Yale Herbarium

Founded in 1864 by Daniel Cady Eaton from his personal library and plant collection, the Yale Herbarium is an internationally recognized repository with holdings of approximately 350,000 specimens from throughout the world. There are an estimated 5,000 type specimens. The collection is particularly rich in ferns, bryophytes and grasses, as well as in historically important materials from the early botanical collectors. In addition, it was the herbarium of record for the flora of southern New England from 1864 until 1955, when that function passed to the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

The Yale Peabody Museum’s collections are available to legitimate researchers for scholarly use. Loans are issued to responsible individuals at established institutions. Loans and access to the collection can be arranged through the Collections Manager.

Volunteers are welcome to become involved in a variety of research and support activities, including plant mounting, databasing and digital photography.

Volunteer Opportunities | Support the Peabody


The Yale Herbarium’s logo depicts the mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, the state flower of Connecticut. The drawing is by Wendy Zomlefer and the logo design by Mary Walsh. We are very grateful to both artists.

The Yale University Herbarium is located on the third floor of the Class of 1954 Environmental Science Center, 21 Sachem Street, adjacent to the Peabody Museum of Natural History. Parking for visitors is available behind the Museum on Whitney Avenue at Humphrey Street.

Mailing address

Division of Botany
Yale University Herbarium
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University
P.O. Box 208118
New Haven, CT 06520-8118 USA

Shipping address

Division of Botany
Yale University Herbarium
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University
170-210 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511 USA

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