Federal Research Center "N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources", Research institute and botanical garden in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Federal Research Center houses one of the world's largest seed collections, containing more than 330,000 plant specimens across 64 botanical families and 376 genera. The institution operates through 11 branches throughout Russia, conducting research on plant genetics and maintaining seed banks.
The institute was founded in 1894 as the Bureau of Applied Botany and became the All-Union Institute of Plant Industry in 1921 under Nikolai Vavilov's leadership. This transformation marked the shift from applied focus to systematic genetic research.
During the Siege of Leningrad, fifty scientists protected the seed collection, choosing to starve rather than consume the valuable specimens they guarded.
Visitors can explore the botanical collections and research facilities spread across the grounds. It is advisable to allow sufficient time for exploring the various areas, as the collection is extensively laid out.
The collection includes material from 1558 expeditions within the former Soviet Union and from 282 countries worldwide. This geographic diversity ranges from subtropical regions to permafrost areas, making it a unique genetic archive.
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