This is an in-person event at the Linnean Society. There will be a drinks reception after the lecture upstairs in our library, which will be displaying our new exhibition "Herbarium | Plants in a New Light".

The Hidden Stories of the Linnaean Herbarium is a photographic work depicting backlit herbarium sheets from Carl Linnaeus' original herbarium from the 18th century. By letting the light illuminate from below, folds and veins appear, the colors are enhanced and the structure of the paper, watermarks and texts written on the back of the sheet become more visible.

The feeling turns more three-dimensional, and the 300-year-old plants are resurrected.

Carl Linnaeus' herbarium is one of the most important collections of specimens in history. These herbarium sheets laid the foundation for the binomial nomenclature, the system we still use today when we talk about plants.

It is also a fantastic introduction to history as it evokes thoughts about the Enlightenment Age's eager mapping of nature while touching upon questions about the interplay between religion, colonialism, morality and economics.

Lena Granefelt is a Swedish artist and photographer whose work explores the power of plants, biological diversity, cultivation, and the intricate relationships within nature. Since 2001, she has created acclaimed books and exhibitions that unite art, science, and visual storytelling. In 2026, she received the SLU Artdatabanken Nature Conservation Award for her pioneering work in making biodiversity and nature's often overlooked processes visible to a wide audience.

Follow @lena_granefelt on Instagram. More information: www.lenagranefelt.com.

Speaker photo by Micke Lundström.

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Concessions

Please buy the concession ticket if you are any of the below:

• 65 years of age, or over

• Under 26 years of age

• Currently in receipt of UK government benefit (including, but not limited to, Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit, and Universal Credit).

• Currently in full-time education.

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