Section of Botany - Visiting the Herbarium

CMNH - Section of Botany

~Visiting the Herbarium~

Hours Open to Visitors
Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH) policy stipulates that visitors are allowed in the collections only when a member of the curatorial staff is present, and thus it is advisable to arrange visits in advance. Normal working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. Special arrangements may be made for consultation of specimens and library resources at other times for out-of-town visitors.

To schedule a visit, contact:
Bonnie Isaac : isaacb@CarnegieMNH.org or 412.622.3253
or Cynthia Morton : mortonc@CarnegieMNH.org

Security
In order to freely come and go to non-public areas of the museum, visitors must wear a badge. Upon arrival at CMNH, request a visitor badge at your entry point. For visitors who are not familiar with CMNH, the entrance desk staff will call Botany and someone from the section will meet you at the entrance to escort you to the herbarium. Visitors familiar with the museum can proceed directly to the Section of Botany and should inform their contact person upon arrival in the herbarium.

Briefcases and bags are subject to inspection by Security as you leave the building. If you are carrying personal materials that may be confused with CMNH property (specimens, books, etc.), see Botany Staff for a property pass before leaving.

Pest Control
All plant material must be fumigated before being brought into the herbarium. Normal fumigation is by freezing, which takes at least 48 hours. Give all material for fumigation to the Collection Manager, Bonnie Isaac. Specimens and cases have been treated in the past with an array of chemicals, including cyanide, paradichlorobenzene, and mercury, to prevent insect damage.

Visitors who are not associated with another herbarium are not allowed free access to the main collection without explicit permission from curatorial staff. Specific material will be brought to such visitors. To facilitate use of the herbarium as an aid in identifying the local flora, a separate Pennsylvania Synoptic Collection is maintained in the Upper Herbarium and is available to all visitors.