The oldest university herbarium in Germany, founded in 1806, is located in Leipzig. With over 150,000 specimens, it harbours a rich treasure trove with the most diverse evidence from the life of plants and fungi.
The collection mainly reflects Leipzig's botanical research projects in the past and present. The main part of the collections consists of plants from Europe and South America, which are used for scientific studies of form, relationship and distribution. The interested public is also welcome to get an insight into current research topics. In addition to the biological material, there are thousands of photographic prints, slides, drawings, and watercolour paintings documenting the living condition of the organisms.
A teaching and display collection with several hundred exhibits was created especially for students, but also for lay people interested in plants and fungi. From rather primitive algae to the more complexly structured seed plants, or from the rainforest to desert regions to the Arctic Circle, there is a wide variety to marvel at. For guided tours of the collection, thematic focuses can be agreed upon with the participants.
