Mission Since its foundation in 1931 by Brother Marie-Victorin, the mission statement of the Montréal Botanical Garden is to : conserve, develop and present to the public living plant collections, pursue research activities, and educate Montréal citizens and all visitors in botany and horticulture. The Marie-Victorin building To reach its objectives, the Montréal Botanical Garden has pursued four vocations : As a cultural institution, it takes visitors on a voyage through the plant world, inviting them to explore the various outside gardens and the exhibition greenhouses, and to discover different cultures, including those of China and Japan.   As an educational institution, the Garden is a unique training ground, with numerous educational activities. Graduates of the Montréal Botanical Garden School of Horticulture receive thorough grounding in general horticulture work and in different aspects of ornamental horticulture. The Young Gardeners' Own program introduces young people to the joys of gardening and the wonders of the natural sciences. A number of educational organizations, including the Friends of the Garden, Les Amis du Jardin, offer their members various science-related activities. In addition, the Garden's library boasts an impressive collection of botanical and horticultural publications, along with a slide library housing a vast assortment of photographs of plants and the Botanical Garden itself.   As a social institution, the Garden is an integral part of the urban fabric of Montréal. It serves as the City's environmental conscience, promoting tree planting policies, the preservation of natural environments and public awareness. Over the years, it has fostered a special relationship with the people of Montréal and lends the community invaluable expertise and support in the design of plans to beautify the urban landscape and develop and manage green spaces.   As a scientific institution, the Garden houses living plant collections, maintained by a highly specialized horticultural staff, assisted by qualified botanists. The Garden serves as a ground for taxonomy, morphology, plant physiology, genetics, ecology and biotechnology, conducted by the team of botanists at the Garden along with professors and researchers from the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale of the Université de Montréal, affiliated with the Garden. The research efforts have produced leading-edge expertise applied to planting and caring for trees in the urban environment, and to developing a waste water filtration and treatment system using aquatic plants.   The Botanical also employs visitor services and marketing staff to support its different vocations and meet the ever-growing needs of visitors. «The Montréal Botanical Garden is an extraordinary source of inspiration and education. The dedication of the many people working at the Garden contributes to make it a place with an exceptional richness. Come and visit us.» Gilles Vincent Director of the Montréal Botanical Garden History of the Garden: The birth of a great garden History of the Garden; Chronology Information Resources for School Projects | MENU | ABOUT THE GARDEN | GARDENS AND GREENHOUSES | PLANTS AND COLLECTIONS | | EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES | SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES | HORTICULTURAL ACTIVITIES | LIBRARY | | GREEN PAGES | LINKS | | SITE MAP | SEARCH | MAILBOX | Last updated : 2006 11 09 Credits All rights reserved Ville de Montréal