Millennium Seed Bank
In 1997, the Wellcome Trust awarded a grant of £9.2 million towards the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, which has helped conserve worldwide flora, many of which have medicinal qualities. By 2010 the Seed Bank will be home to seed from 10 per cent of the world's wild seed-bearing species.
The Millennium Seed Bank is located in the grounds of Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. Credit: Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew
The Seed Bank is a Millennium Commission Landmark Project costing up to £80 million. The Wellcome Trust's grant represents a one-off contribution to celebrate the new millennium. The Millennium Commission has given £30 million to the project, and other sponsors include Orange plc.
The Seed Bank is housed in the Wellcome Trust Millennium Building, on land adjoining Kew's sister garden at Wakehurst Place in Sussex, where seeds from 25 000 species of flowering plants are stored in an underground vault. The building includes advanced seed research and processing facilities, and display areas for the public.