The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery is delighted to announce that we have received an FY2017 Museums for America grant of $100,000 (MA-30-17-0309-17) from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) in support of a two-year project to develop a new plant collections online map application that will help guide visitors onsite or visit the arboretum collections virtually.

The grant will allow Mount Auburn’s horticulture curatorial staff to work with Blue Raster, a technology consultancy group, who will merge our existing plant collections database with ESRI GIS (geographic information system) technology, build online map and plant information functionality on our website, perform ongoing GIS analysis and development, and create a mobile data collection application for use in the field. The project will also support interns who will work with our staff to assist with GIS tasks, photograph plants for the database and website, and update the plant collections data electronically during a systematic field-check on the grounds. The goal to develop online mapping has broad impact on the national community of arboreta who need new technologies to make plant collections data more accurate and more accessible for the stewardship of living collections.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive.