Huntington Library & Gardens

When Henry and Arabella Huntington drafted the trust document in the summer of 1919 that would transform their private estate into an institution for the "advancement of learning, the arts and sciences, and to promote the public welfare," they had no way of knowing what an intellectual and cultural powerhouse it would become.

Fast forward to today, and our website tells the story: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is a collections-based research and educational institution serving scholars and the general public. On site in San Marino, just 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, we host more than 750,000 visitors each year from all walks of life, from the United States and from around the globe, who come to enjoy our gardens and galleries, conduct research, and learn from our collections. 

The Huntington, at its core, is an institution that supports and promotes the appreciation of, as well as research and education, in the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. Fundamental to our work is conservation – stewarding and protecting our artworks, books, manuscripts and related materials, as well as our rare botanical species, to ensure their continued availability for new discoveries and interpretations.

Henry E. Huntington declared that this institution exists for the "uplift of humanity." It is in that spirit that we open our doors and invite the world in.

Karen R. Lawrence, President