A herbarium is a collection of pressed and preserved plants that can be used for a wide variety of teaching and research purposes.

The A. G. Shields Herbarium was officially dedicated in 1973 in honor of Arthur G. Shields, who was a former Biology Department faculty member and original curator of the herbarium. Visit our history page to learn more.

The plant collection, including artwork and the plant library, is located in room 212c Weyandt Hall and is one of a number of collections within the Department of Biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. This collection contains approximately 10,000-12,000 specimens from around the world, with emphasis on species native to western Pennsylvania.

The herbarium is open to visitors by appointment, and specimens are available for teaching, research, and public use. The A. G. Shields Herbarium exchanges specimens with other herbaria to cover specimens from throughout the United States and the world.

Herbarium entrance