Storage

The cabinets in which the specimens are housed have changed over the years. Older cabinets, made of wood or metal, were not airtight and allowed insects to enter, as well as light, temperature, and humidity to damage the specimens. More modern cabinets are airtight and better protect specimens against harmful particles in the air, as well as fluctuating temperature and humidity.

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Cabinets from 1915 in the Harvard University Herbarium.
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Cabinets in the Harvard University Herbarium today.

 

Additional Resources

Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium Collection Management Policy.


National Park Service Preparing and Storing Herbarium Specimens.


Rutgers University Preservation of Herbarium Specimens.