The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a cultural complex in San Marino, California, founded by Henry E. Huntington and opened to the public in the early 20th century. The institution unites a research library, art collections, and extensive themed gardens on a single estate.

The library holds rare books and manuscripts and supports scholarly research; the art galleries emphasize British and American works on paper, painting, and decorative arts. The botanical gardens include a series of themed gardens and collections spread across the estate, with notable displays such as the Rose Garden and large Desert Garden among the most-visited areas.

The institution grew from Henry Huntington’s collecting and estate development and was established as a public research and horticultural resource. Over the 20th century the holdings and gardens expanded into the complex open to visitors today.

The Huntington is located in San Marino in Los Angeles County, east of Pasadena and roughly a short drive northeast of central Los Angeles.

• Visit time: The estate combines a research library, art galleries, and more than 100 acres of themed botanical gardens on a single campus, so allocate a full day to see major highlights.
• Best time to visit: Peak displays vary by season - roses in late spring and many specialty collections at peak bloom at different times of year, so check seasonal highlights before visiting.

What to See #

• The Library: A research library and rare-book collection that supports humanities scholarship and houses rare manuscripts, archives, and early printed books.
• Art galleries: The Huntington Art Gallery with collections focused on British and American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 18th to early 20th centuries.
• Botanical gardens: The Chinese garden (Liu Fang Yuan) and multiple themed botanical gardens including the Rose Garden and Desert Garden that span extensive planted acreage.