The Western Washington University Herbarium (WWB) contains more than 26,000 specimens of plants, with particular emphasis on the vascular plants of Pacific Northwest and North Cascades of Washington as well as local algae, non-vascular plants, and fungi.

Herbaria collections are permanent physical records of natural history and bases for systematic, evolutionary, and ecological research. The main role of an herbarium is to serve as a repository of plant collections and documentation of botanical research, but beyond that, the collections are meant to be utilized for scientific and educational purposes. With education as a major focus of WWB, students, faculty, visiting scientists, and qualified amateurs are all welcome to utilize the collection to become more familiar with the diverse plants of our region. If you are interested in visiting the herbarium please contact the curator. Through herbaria collections, we can gain a better appreciation for the details, patterns, and processes of the natural world.