Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Nature by Design: Botanical Lessons
June 8, 2019 – May 29, 2023
Botanical Lessons explores nature in the Smithsonian collections through thirteen botanical models on loan from the National Museum of American History, and a selection of illustrated books and periodicals from Smithsonian Libraries, all of which served as teaching aids in a nineteenth-century period marked by a growing interest in science and education. The models and books facilitated an up-close view of plants to the naked eye, provided a better understanding of the natural world in a time where microscopes and image projection were not widely available. Through these designs, a new way of seeing nature was made possible for students, scientists, and the general public.
Daphne mezereum L., No. 61, Daphne mezereum L., No. 61, University of Minnesota, School of Pharmacy, National Museum of American History
