Information for visitors
to the Herbarium
Contents
1. Getting to the Herbarium 2
2. Finding your way around the Herbarium 3
3. Visiting hours and access 4
4. Arrangement of the Herbarium (finding what you need) 4
5. Getting help 5
6. Use of the collections: regulations and specimen handling 5
7. Other Herbarium regulations 7
8. Refreshments in the Herbarium 7
9. Other facilities in the Herbarium 8
10. Safety in the Herbarium 8
11. Using the library and archives 10
12. Accommodation in the Kew area 12
13. Local facilities 12
14. Useful websites 13
15. Useful telephone numbers 13
Annex 1 – Handling herbarium specimens 14
Annex 2 – Policy for the loan of herbarium specimens 15
Annex 3 – Herbarium plan 16
1. Getting to the Herbarium
Detailed information on getting to Kew is available on the Kew website at www.kew.org/visitor/findkew.html
The nearest London Underground (Tube) station is Kew Gardens, on the District Line. This station (10-15 minutes walk from the Herbarium) provides trains to Central London and Richmond. North London Line railway trains also stop at Kew Gardens Station. Kew Bridge Station, on the other side of the river from Kew Green (5-10 minutes walk), provides trains to Central London (Waterloo via Clapham Junction). Several bus lines run past Kew Green towards Richmond/Kingston or Central London.
Main sources of public transport access to Kew. Numbered circles indicate buse lines at each bus stop
From Heathrow Airport
From Heathrow, visitors may take the Piccadilly Line (underground) to South Ealing, where they should leave the station and either (i) take a taxi to the Herbarium or their accommodation or (ii) take the number 65 bus from South Ealing Station towards Richmond. The bus crosses the river Thames at Kew Bridge, immediately on the other side of which is Kew Green (where one should alight for the Herbarium). The taxi will cost approximately £8.00.
Taxis and minicabs may be organised in advance by contacting the person responsible for your visit. The cost is approximately £18.00 from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and £20.00 from Terminal 4. There is often a waiting time and car park charge on top of the fee. For those looking for a cheaper option, we advise calling a local minicab (Kew Cars 020 8568 6666) on arrival at the airport.
From Gatwick Airport
A taxi from Gatwick to Kew will cost anything between £45.00 and £65.00, depending on the waiting time and the car park cost. A pre-booked taxi can also be arranged to wait in the arrivals area.
There is an express train from Gatwick to Victoria Train Station (£13 one way). At Victoria, visitors can take the westbound District Line (underground) to Richmond.[1] Another option is to take the train from Gatwick to Clapham Junction, and then change onto a train to Kew Bridge station.
Parking
Visitors may use the car park behind the Herbarium. Enter via the main gate off Kew Green and drive anti-clockwise around the buildings. There is a bicycle shed at the front of the Herbarium buildings; turn left after entering the gate and it will be on your left after about 10m.
2. Finding your way around the Herbarium
The Herbarium building consists of four inter-connecting wings (A, B, C and D) set around a quadrangle. Wings A, B and C house specimens on all floors. Specimens are also located in the basement below Wing A (accessible from the stairs in the wing) and in the Quadrangle Basement (accessible from Wing C ground floor – access with permission only). The first floor of Wing D houses the library, and the second floor the monocotyledon and fern collections. The Orchid and Palm herbaria and the Map Room can be found on the ground floor of Wing D, the Spirit Collection in the basement and the tea room and Pat Brenan Suite (used for meetings and presentations) on the top floor.
The temporary reception area is on the ground floor of Hunter House. Enter the main door and turn right to the reception desk.
Plans of the Herbarium can be found in Annex 3.
Access to the garden
Maps are available at the main gates to the Garden. Herbarium visitors can enter the garden by turning right out of the main door of Hunter House, walking past the Joseph Banks Building and turning left.
3. Visiting hours and access
Opening hours
The Herbarium is open to visitors between 0900 and 1730 Monday-Thursday and 0900-1700 on Friday. Long-term visitors may be granted extended access hours where necessary, and special permission may be arranged to use the herbarium on Saturdays. The Herbarium is closed to visitors on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Other collections
A prior and separate appointment is needed to consult the Mycological, Palynological or Economic Botany Collections.
Signing in and identification passes
On arrival at the Herbarium Reception, visitors must sign the Visitors Book every day. This is the green book located by the door. An electronic building pass will be issued to short term visitors every day, and to long-term visitors until they receive their own access pass. These passes (swipe-cards) are to be worn for identification at all times, and used for opening the doors to the herbarium and library.
Photographic passes (Access Control Passes) for long-term visitors are issued on Mondays between 11am and 12 noon at the Constabulary Office, on completion and authorisation of the application form. These passes provide access to a number of buildings with automatic security control systems. The passes are programmed to allow entry at specified times.
Visitors will also receive a white card, to be completed and signed by the supervisor and Assistant Keeper of the section they are visiting. For short term visitors this card should be presented every day when collecting a building pass, and the same applies to long term visitors until they have their own pass. All visitors must keep this card in their possession throughout the visit.
For those visitors wishing to work on Saturdays, this must be discussed and agreed in advance with the person responsible for the visit. He/she will complete a form for authorisation by the Keeper, and a ‘pink card’ will be issued. This card is to be presented at reception on Saturdays by short-term and long-term visitors alike.
4. Arrangement of the Herbarium (finding what you need)
Families
The Herbarium is ordered by plant family, arranged around the Bentham and Hooker system (Genera Plantarum). To find where a family is located, consult one of the family lists. One of these should be located at the end of each floor of each Wing, bound in a red hardback cover. This index will give you the family’s number (corresponding to the numbers on the herbarium cupboard labels) and will also tell you in which wing/floor you can find it.
Genera
Genera are arranged systematically. At the beginning of each family there is a numerical index (cabinet usually marked with a red label or with INDEX written on it), the numbers corresponding to numbers on the cabinet labels.
Species
Within each genus, the specimens are divided into 19 numbered geographical regions. Maps are posted around the Herbarium showing the numbers of each region. In most cases the species within each region are ordered taxonomically, following the latest accepted revision. Each species is numbered and an index is available inside one of the nearby cabinets (location usually noted on the label on the door). There is often a series of A-z (alphabetically arranged) species at the end of each geographical region for species not covered by the revision, and an ‘indet’ folder for material not identified to species level. In some cases all the material is arranged alphabetically.
Carpological/spirit collections and Illustrations
Collections of carpological material and illustrations are stored in the Herbarium in special cabinets or labelled herbarium cabinets, usually close to the corresponding herbarium sheets. For access to these collections, please consult the member of staff responsible for your visit. Spirit material is kept in the Spirit Room (managed by Emma Tredwell). These anciliary collections are arranged and numbered using the same system as the herbarium sheets (see above).
Special collections
For access to special collections (e.g. the Wallich Collection), ask the member of staff responsible for your visit, who will introduce you to the appropriate curator.
5. Getting help
The first point of reference for help should always be the staff member responsible for your visit, or other staff designated to assist you. There is always a Senior Duty Officer (SDO) and a Duty Officer (DO) present in the Herbarium. If necessary they can be contacted through Reception. For a list of staff responsible for the curation of particular plant groups or regional floras, ask your Kew contact.
6. Use of the collections: regulations and specimen handling
Please do not use the Herbarium collections until you have been introduced to the staff member responsible for your visit and/or another designated staff member. If this is your first visit, he/she will explain how the Kew system works and offer any necessary guidance on the correct handling of herbarium specimens:
· Always treat the specimens as a priceless scientific and historic resource. Do not remove anything from the specimens unless you have express permission to do so.
· Do not treat a genus cover as a book, flipping the specimens over so that they are lying face downwards. Specimens should be face-up at all times.
· Do not leave unstable stacks of specimens on the tables, and always cover specimens when not working with them.
Full instructions for handling specimens can be found in Annex 1.
Determinations
As far as possible, all specimens studied should be annotated. Determinavit or Confirmavit slips, showing determination, signature and date (either printed or legibly written in permanent ink), should be attached to the sheet, preferably as near to the bottom right as possible, with the glue provided. Please do not stick determination labels of the ‘self adhesive’ type to herbarium sheets, even if alleged to be of archival quality.
When specimens of more than one taxon or collection are mounted on one sheet, separate slips should be provided for each. Except to distinguish the various elements of such mixtures, no marks should be made on the sheets themselves. Existing labels, other determinations, notes, etc. must not in any circumstances be removed, covered or in any way defaced. We provide archive-approved stationery for use on herbarium specimens. Please do not use ordinary office stationery.
Specimen removal and types
If you notice a previously unrecognised type specimen or you re-determine a specimen, please draw it to the attention of your staff member responsible (or other designated staff member). Before removing any such specimens from a species cover, check that the country of collection is clearly indicated on the specimen. Once removed from the context of the Herbarium, historical (or classical) specimens can be difficult to re-incorporate. Please do not attempt to re-arrange the collections without first consulting your member of staff responsible (or other designated staff member).
Loans
Please ask for guidance before putting aside any specimens that you wish to have sent on loan (see Policy for the Loan of Herbarium Specimens – Annex 2). You will be provided with a loan request form which must be signed on your behalf by the Head / Collections Manager of the Recipient Institution and returned to RBG, Kew before the loan can be processed.
Ancillary collections
Please first ask your staff member responsible (or other designated staff member) if you wish to consult the carpological or spirit collections. The spirit collection is normally open until 13.00 each day.
Dissection
The dissection of type material is normally discouraged. However, with permission, the dissection of reasonable portions of non-type specimens is permitted, providing the material is adequate. All dissected portions must be placed in a paper capsule and attached to the herbarium sheet concerned using the archival glue provided. Microscope slides or other preparations made from material in the collections remain the property of RBG, Kew and must not be taken away. Microscopes for visitors’ use can be supplied upon request.
Destructive sampling
The removal of parts of specimens for studies in palynology, anatomy, phytochemistry etc. (destructive sampling), is not allowed without the specific, prior permission of the Keeper. Removal of material for DNA extraction is not permitted but aliquots of DNA extracts may be available from the Jodrell Laboratory provided the specimen is suitable. A Material Supply Agreement (MSA) is now required for all samples removed from the Kew Herbarium. Please ask your staff member responsible (or other designated staff member) for further information.
7. Other Herbarium regulations
Quarantine of specimens (incoming material)
On entering the building you must submit any dried specimens (or other materials that may harbour insects) for deep freezing, whether or not such material has previously been disinfected. The material will be ready for collection in not less than 72 hours from the time of placement in the freezer. If you require the material at the start of your visit, we suggest you send it in advance so that our staff may have it ready for your arrival. If you wish to do this, please send us a note of dispatch, label the package “visitor’s own material” and add your name.
Please make sure that any CITES-regulated material brought across international borders is accompanied by the necessary permits. If the material is coming from a CITES Scientific Registered Institution, please make sure that the correct labels are attached.
Smoking
The Herbarium is a strictly no-smoking building, including the terrace outside the tea-room. There is an ash-tray on the porch outside the main reception[2].
Food and Drink
The consumption of food and drink is restricted to the tea-room on the top floor of Wing D. Please do not bring food into the Herbarium, as this encourages pests.
Photography
Visitors wishing to take photographs of specimens must obtain permission to do so. A lighting stand is available on request. Images of specimens may be used for research. Permission to use such images for publication must be obtained from the Board of the Trustees of RBG, Kew.
Basement access
Visitors are requested not to enter the Quadrangle Compactor Store without permission. This must be reconfirmed with your staff member responsible on a daily basis.
8. Refreshments in the Herbarium
The tea room (top floor of Wing D) is available for visitors throughout working hours. Many staff take a tea or coffee break between 10.30 and 11.30 in the morning, and between 15.00 and 16.00 in the afternoon.