Collections
Denver Botanic Gardens is an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited museum with seven living collections, two natural history collections (herbaria), an arthropods collection, art collections and a library. These collections express humanity’s connection to the natural world through documentation, research, art and literature.
The Gardens is committed to providing a welcome, diverse and inclusive space. Our collections support scientists, horticulturists, artists, land managers and others. In some cases, these records may contain culturally insensitive or derogatory names. This content does not reflect the values of Denver Botanic Gardens, but the preservation of archival data in its original form for historical accuracy and research facilitation.
Living Plant Collections
Plants growing on the grounds and inside the greenhouses and the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory, as well as those stored as seeds, comprise the living collections at the Gardens. These collections are the Alpine, Amenity, Aquatic, Native, Steppe, Tropical, Cactus & Succulents. Individual plants within these collections are grown for aesthetic purposes, research and/or conservation efforts.
Natural History Collections
The Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants (KHD), Sam Mitchel Herbarium of Fungi (DBG) and Denver Botanic Gardens Arthropod Collection (DBGA) are an integral part of the Gardens. These collections document and preserve biodiversity from the southern Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas.
Art Collections
The Gardens collects art to inspire, educate and inform, further connecting people with the natural world. Mostly botanical in nature, the art collection contains more than 1,200 works, including engravings, etchings, drawings and paintings. In addition, sculpture in a variety of media complements garden spaces year-round.
Library Collections
The Helen Fowler Library holds a significant collection of botanical and horticultural materials about the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions around the world. General collection, rare books, archival and historical collections are of interest to visitors of all ages, the academic researcher and general gardener. Members of the Gardens may check out library materials.
Non-Living Collections at Denver Botanic Gardens: Part 1
With support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Award ID: MA-30-18-0410-18), we have re-housed the Gardens’ non-living collections: natural history, library and art. These works have been moved to new and improved collections spaces in the Freyer – Newman Center for Science, Art and Education.