The Academy has reopened the public floor, research collections, labs and offices. As of September 2022, Covid-19 safety precautions for back-of-house visitors remain in effect, including wearing a mask while in the department and providing proof of vaccination (boosted, if eligible). For additional inquiries and to schedule a visit, contact the collections manager at the email listed below.
The California Academy of Sciences' herbarium is the largest collection of vascular plants in the western U.S. and the sixth-largest collection in the country. The CAS collection includes ~2.3 million plant specimens with almost 12,000 types. Over 95% of the specimens are vascular seed plants; the remainder are ferns and a growing collection of bryophytes at ~150,000 specimens.