Phipps Conservatory Named Finalist for 2024 IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Media Contacts
Phipps Contact: Joe Reed; jreed@phipps.conservatory.org; 412-622-6915, ext. 3801
IMLS Contact: Erica Jaros; ejaros@imls.gov; 202-653-4701

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Named Finalist for 2024 IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service
Public Garden’s Impact in Community Gains Recognition with Nomination

Pittsburgh, PA – The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced today that Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is among 30 finalists for the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Phipps Conservatory is the only institution in Pennsylvania to be selected as a finalist for this award.

The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate significant impact in their communities. For 30 years, the award has honored institutions that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities.

Through its seasonal flower shows, education programs, events and more, Phipps Conservatory strives to demonstrate that human and environmental health are inextricably connected and to help its guests ensure that these critical interconnections are harmonious, mutually beneficial, healthy and preserved for future generations. In recent years, the Conservatory has expanded its impact to the global museum, garden and zoo community through its Climate Toolkit project, a network of 158 institutions serving more than 77,900,000 annual visitors who seek to work together to serve the environmental health needs of their communities and ecosystems and inspire their guests and supporters to follow their lead.

“Phipps Conservatory is dedicated to advancing horticultural excellence green-building practices, sustainable gardening and environmental awareness, all of which are rooted in a mission to connect people to nature which has driven our work for the past 130 years,” says Phipps President and CEO Richard Piacentini. “We’re honored to be a finalist for the National Medal, which creates further motivation among our national and international partners to continue to demonstrate the important impact our institutions can have in the world.”

“The 30 National Medal finalists from across the United States showcase the tremendous abilities of libraries and museums to serve as trusted, dynamic public spaces that meet the needs of their communities,” said IMLS Acting Director Cyndee Landrum. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services is honored to recognize these outstanding institutions. We congratulate them on their collective effort to respond to community needs, preserve diverse history and culture, and create a sense of belonging for all Americans.”

To celebrate this honor, IMLS is encouraging Phipps’ community members to share stories, memories, pictures, and videos on social media using the hashtags #ShareYourStory and #IMLSmedals, and engage with IMLS on X, Facebook and Instagram. For more information, please visit the IMLS website.

National Medal winners will be announced in late May. Representatives from winning institutions will be honored for their extraordinary contributions during an in-person National Medals Ceremony in Washington, DC this summer.

To see the full list of finalists and learn more about the National Medal, visit the IMLS website.

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About the Institute of Museum and Library Services: The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. 

About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
 
Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.