The public perception of seed banks is often that they are ‘doomsday vaults’ only to be opened in the event of environmental catastrophe. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank follows a very different model. Working with partner institutions in 50 countries across the globe, it holds the largest collection of plant diversity in the world and its mission is to secure in safe storage and enable the use of as many plant species as possible. Whether it be restoring tall grass prairie in America, introducing new species into horticulture from Madagascar or enabling the cultivation of the Mungongo nut in Africa, it is likely that the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership will have been involved.

To celebrate Kew’s 250th anniversary in 2009, Science Museum is hosting a lecture by Paul Smith, Head of Kew’s Seed Conservation Department.

Find out more about Kew – http://www.kew.org

Find out more about the Millennium Seed Bank Project – http://www.kew.org/msbp/index.htm