Huntington Library Art Museum & Botanical Gardens

Henry e. And arabella d. Huntington transformed their private estate into a public institution in august 1919, making their vast collections of literature, art, and plants accessible "to promote the public welfare." the Huntington's mission is to share its world-renowned collections to support scholarship, foster learning, inspire creativity, and offer transformative experiences for diverse audiences. The collections the Huntington has assembled primary materials, art objects, and living collections which reflect the development of Western culture, from the ninth century to the present. These collections embody the diverse and interwoven contributions of many cultures, peoples, and Nations. The Huntington's holdings of rare books, manuscripts, art objects, and Botanical specimens speak to our contemporary audiences because they reveal the complexity of the human experience. Stewardship with its outstanding collections in the arts, humanities, and Botanical sciences, the Huntington has the responsibility to preserve and protect for posterity mr. and mrs. Huntington's legacy and to insure its growth and financial health. Stewardship extends as well to the buildings, grounds, and infrastructure of the institution, not only because they protect the collections and facilitate their use, but because mr. and mrs. Huntington's estate is an important historical document of great significance to the public and to the understanding of the history of Southern California. The Huntington's communities the Huntington is a hub for communities whose boundaries extend from local to the international. As a local institution, it serves schoolchildren, families, and scholars with a broad array of programs centered in the collections. To the national and international communities, the Huntington serves as a haven for independent scholarship and as a repository for a broad fund of knowledge represented in the collections. One of the Huntington's great strengths, however, is the reciprocal nature of its relationship with its communities. Volunteers provide leadership, stewardship, and resources. Scholars bring their own intellectual depth and diverse interpretations to the collections. Staff supply expertise and energy, and visitors bring curiosity, expectations, and experiences which challenge the Huntington to the greater fulfillment of its mission.