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The mission of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis – widely considered one of the top three botanical gardens in the world – is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 150 years after opening, the Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science and conservation, education and horticultural display.

Peter H. Raven, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading botanists, is the Garden’s president. Described by Time magazine as a “Hero for the Planet,” Raven champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and sustainable living. He serves in leadership posts for numerous national and international scientific organizations.

The Garden’s 79 acres of splendid horticultural displays include the vibrant tropical rainforest that thrives inside the Climatron® conservatory. The Japanese Garden covers 14 acres, making it one of the largest Japanese strolling gardens in North America. Other outstanding displays include Chinese, English and German gardens and a Victorian District. Nearly 5,200 trees live on the grounds, including some rare and unusual varieties and a few stately specimens dating back to the 19th century, when Garden founder Henry Shaw planted them. The William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening, the nation’s most comprehensive resource center for gardening information, includes 23 residential-scale demonstration gardens.

The Garden is one of the world’s leading centers for botanical exploration, plant science and conservation. Some 26 major floras and checklists are based here, and Garden botanists are active in 38 countries spanning the globe. Information is shared via the Garden’s premier botanical Web site (www.mobot.org) using TROPICOS™, the world’s largest and most widely used botanical database, developed and maintained at the Garden. With more than six million specimens, the Garden herbarium is one of the six largest in the world and one of the two largest in the United States. Without exception, the Garden’s research activities are carried out in collaboration with institutions in each host country. Garden scientists train local botanists and build research capacity in countries with the greatest biological diversity, to assist them to conserve and sustainably manage their botanical resources. The Garden’s Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development serves as a clearinghouse for plant conservation efforts.

The Garden’s highly regarded education programs served more than 185,000 students in 2008. Offerings include classes for students, adults and families, professional development for teachers, and community outreach classes. Many opportunities are available on-site for visitors to learn while they enjoy the Garden.

Local families and visitors from around the world make the Garden a popular year-round destination. Annual events include the orchid and holiday floral shows, Japanese Festival, Chinese Culture Days, the Whitaker Music Festival and Best of Missouri Market. Numerous fountains and many fine pieces of sculpture adorn the grounds, including seven monumental bronzes by Swedish artist Carl Milles. The Sassafras café and Garden Gate Shop are open daily.

The Garden also encompasses a family tree of attractions. The 2,400-acre Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Mo., educates visitors of all ages about the plants, animals and ecosystems of the region. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, located in Faust Park in Chesterfield, Mo., features an 8,000 square foot glass conservatory where visitors mingle with more than 60 species of the world’s most beautiful butterflies in free flight. The EarthWays Center, located in midtown St. Louis, is the division of the Garden overseeing our mission to promote energy and resource conservation throughout the region.

The Missouri Botanical Garden has over 37,000 members, and an annual attendance of over 961,000.

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 150 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science and conservation, education and horticultural display.

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