Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, scientific institution occupying over 120 hectares (300 acres) of garden and woodland beside the River Thames between Richmond and Kew, as well as over 2 hectares (6 acres) of greenhouses. The Royal Botanic Gardens, open to the public throughout the year, are devoted to the cultivation, conservation and preservation of the world's flora, and to related study and research. The botanic gardens at Kew are complemented by those at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex, a further 190 hectares (468 acres) of woodland also run by the Royal Botanic Gardens since 1965.

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew were founded on a small scale by Augusta, widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1759, increasing greatly in size later in the 18th century. Under the influence of the great botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, they became world famous. They were handed over to the state in 1840, and thereafter developed as a serious academic and research resource. More land was donated by the royal family and, during the 19th century many of the spectacular greenhouses and other buildings were erected, including the Palm House, the Temperate House, and the Jodrell Laboratory. Another remarkable landmark building in the gardens, the Pagoda, dates from 1762, and was built for Princess Augusta. In recent times, major additions have been the Princess of Wales Conservatory and the Sir Joseph Banks Centre for Economic Botany.

Today Kew claims to have the largest and most comprehensive living plant collection in the world, displaying about 40,000 different types of plant—about a sixth of all known species—including 13 that are extinct in the wild, and around 1,000 that are threatened. Many are used in Kew's research programmes, which endeavour to establish the benefits of different species for food, fuel, and medicine. There is also a reference collection of around six million preserved specimens. As well as research, Kew offers a wide range of educational opportunities. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. Kew Palace, the former residence of George III in the grounds of the Botanic Gardens, opened to the public in 2006 following extensive restoration work.