Papers by Katura Reynolds
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens opened the Rose Hills Foundation
C... more The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens opened the Rose Hills Foundation
Conservatory for Botanical Science in the fall of 2005. This 16,000 square foot greenhouse
harbors plants from lowland tropical forests, high-altitude cloud forests, tropical dry forests,
and temperate bogs—plants that need higher humidity and more frost protection than we can
provide outdoors in southern California. It also contains more than 50 interpretive exhibits that
encourage people to learn about the plants by engaging with them directly. Real plants, real
tools, and real science have proven to be big hits with both kids and adults. A new generation
of children is learning that plants are not just “green furniture,” but rather living organisms
with highly evolved, and often very surprising, strategies for survival. The title of the exhibition
sums up our big idea: Plants Are Up to Something. The Plants Are Up to Something exhibition combats “plant blindness.”
It creates excitement about plants and the processes used to study them. It immerses visitors in a multi-sensory
environment and delights people with charismatic plant specimens. It teaches hands-on science
skills and encourages people to slow down and notice the amazing natural world around them.
It gives folks a frame of reference so that when they hear about habitat conservation issues,
they relate to the habitat personally. Plants Are Up to Something helps make up for the fact
that less and less botany is being taught in schools. However, this exhibition is not concerned
with imparting technical vocabulary, nor does it aim for the comprehensive coverage of a
botany text book. If we can get people excited about plants, they will be motivated to learn more
detailed information in other contexts.
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Papers by Katura Reynolds
Conservatory for Botanical Science in the fall of 2005. This 16,000 square foot greenhouse
harbors plants from lowland tropical forests, high-altitude cloud forests, tropical dry forests,
and temperate bogs—plants that need higher humidity and more frost protection than we can
provide outdoors in southern California. It also contains more than 50 interpretive exhibits that
encourage people to learn about the plants by engaging with them directly. Real plants, real
tools, and real science have proven to be big hits with both kids and adults. A new generation
of children is learning that plants are not just “green furniture,” but rather living organisms
with highly evolved, and often very surprising, strategies for survival. The title of the exhibition
sums up our big idea: Plants Are Up to Something. The Plants Are Up to Something exhibition combats “plant blindness.”
It creates excitement about plants and the processes used to study them. It immerses visitors in a multi-sensory
environment and delights people with charismatic plant specimens. It teaches hands-on science
skills and encourages people to slow down and notice the amazing natural world around them.
It gives folks a frame of reference so that when they hear about habitat conservation issues,
they relate to the habitat personally. Plants Are Up to Something helps make up for the fact
that less and less botany is being taught in schools. However, this exhibition is not concerned
with imparting technical vocabulary, nor does it aim for the comprehensive coverage of a
botany text book. If we can get people excited about plants, they will be motivated to learn more
detailed information in other contexts.