The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, Research center and gardens in San Marino, California.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a research center and museum complex in San Marino, California, featuring collections of manuscripts, paintings, and plants from around the world. The outdoor grounds include over a dozen themed garden sections, while the indoor spaces offer galleries with portraits, furniture, and printed works spread across several buildings.
Henry Huntington began assembling his collection of rare books and paintings at his estate in the early 20th century, opening the site to the public in 1928. His wife Arabella contributed greatly to the art collection before the couple established the foundation that continues to manage the grounds today.
The name honours Henry E. Huntington, who bought the San Marino Ranch in 1903 and founded the institution with his wife Arabella. Visitors can see the couple's former residence, a Georgian mansion holding their British portraits, and the 1920 Mediterranean Revival library designed by Myron Hunt. The corpse flower, Amorphophallus titanum, has bloomed here repeatedly since 1999.
The complex closes on Tuesdays and opens from 10 AM to 5 PM on other days, with tickets that must be reserved in advance. Pathways between gardens include gentle slopes, and wheelchairs or strollers are available for loan at the entrance.
The library holds one of only eleven surviving vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible from the 15th century. Handwritten documents from George Washington and Benjamin Franklin are also kept here, offering a window into the founding years of the United States.
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