Digitising Kew's Collections

We're embarking on our most ambitious project to date, a groundbreaking endeavour to digitise over eight million plants and fungi specimens, making our entire collection freely available to all around the world. 

Shaping the future of our planet

Our specimens underpin research into our greatest global challenges, helping protect the future of our planet. Making these specimens available online will allow many more scientists to access them, ultimately accelerating research to help:

1. Combat climate change
2. Save species from extinction
3. Feed our future, sustainably
4. Future-proof agriculture
5. Discover better medicines
6. Protect critical ecosystems

What is most exciting is that researchers will soon be using our digitised collections to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our planet today. With this in mind, the impact of unlocking our entire collection will be immense.

   - Dr Paul Kersey, Deputy Director of Science and Project SRO

Empowering others to embrace digitisation: share your insights

Over the past 4 years we’ve learnt a lot about digitisation. And now, as our mass digitisation project comes to a close, we’re hoping to pass that knowledge on through our delivery experience and lessons learnt report.

This document is designed as a practical blueprint, offering insights from Kew’s digitisation journey that can help other organisations planning similar projects.

We’re currently looking for feedback before the final version is published. To contribute please access the working document via our online repository, and contact our Programme Manager John Adcock via J.Adcock@kew.org with your suggestions by 5 March 2026.

Please note that RBG Kew, will have final say on what is included in this report.

What's currently accessible? 

As of 2026, you can now access millions of our specimens via GBIF (including herbarium and fungarium collections) and our Data Portal.

How can you get involved?

Unlocking this treasure trove of data that dates back hundreds of years holds untold application and promise, but there's still a long way to go. Completing this project relies on donations and people. See the options we have below for you to get involved.