Botanical tradition since 1679 - From the electoral model garden to one of the most important botanical institutions in the world. The Botanical Garden and the Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM) was founded in 1679 by Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. The BGBM is thus one of the Brandenburg-Prussian veterans and is one of the oldest such institutions in Central Europe. The institution saw the rise, splendor and fall of Prussia before it came to the city of Berlin in 1946 and to the Free University of Berlin in 1995. In its 330-year history, this institution has undergone remarkable growth and diversity: a botanical garden was transformed into a herbarium, a library, and later a museum, with public access to all parts of the institution. From electoral to botanical garden The pleasure and herb garden at the city palace had become too small. In 1679, therefore, the Great Elector ordered the extension of his Schöneberg kitchen garden to an electoral model garden. In 1718, the thrifty soldier king assumed the garden of the Prussian Academy of Sciences because it became too expensive for him. Around 1819 emerged from the extensive botanical work CL Willdenows the royal herbar. In 1879 it became the Royal Botanical Museum, where the ever-growing collection of plants was scientifically studied. Gradually, the Schöneberger plant was too small. The move to the former potato field of Dahlem was in 1910 under the direction of A. Engler completed. Today, around 20,000 different plant species on 43 hectares make our botanical garden one of the largest and most diverse in the world.
