The museum's herbarium (PMAE) is an important resource for plant research, identification, conservation, and education for the scientific community and the general public.

The herbarium contains more than 35,000 vascular plant specimens, with the 125,000 remaining specimens representing bryophytes and lichens. Contributions have been made from museum staff as well as several noteworthy collectors, including C.D. Bird, C.E. Garton, G.R. Pegg, A.R. Prince, and N.B. Sanson. The legacy of these collectors is a rich representation of the flora of Alberta, Canada, and the United States. Heritage specimens from the late 19th century and 'type' specimens, used when a new species is named, are some of the special holdings at PMAE.

Through wide-ranging collaborations with universities, government organizations, NGO's and individuals, botanical research at the museum is actively exploring the diversity, distribution, ecology, and evolution of plants across the landscapes where they are found.

The herbarium collections are continually enriched with exchanges from other herbaria and donations from individuals and other international institutions. Visitors to the herbarium also enrich our collections by sharing their botanical expertise.

Please contact Richard Caners, Curator of Botany, or Donna Cherniawsky, Assistant Curator of Botany, if you have questions or wish to use the collections.