First Lady Michelle Obama Presents Top Museum Award to The New York Botanical Garden

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- First Lady Michelle Obama presented a 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service to The New York Botanical Garden -- one of five museums and five libraries honored in a White House ceremony on Friday, December 17, 2010. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awards the National Medal, the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries, to institutions for outstanding social, environmental, or economic contributions to their communities. This year the Institute is recognizing one museum and one library for their work to advance global cultural understanding. The New York Botanical Garden was chosen for this distinction due to its pioneering work in worldwide botanical research, conservation, and horticulture technology and display.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101220/NY20379 )

Gregory Long, President of The New York Botanical Garden, and Carrie Laney, the Garden's Vice President for Government and Community Relations, attended the White House ceremony accompanied by Karen Washington, a community activist who, in partnership with the Botanical Garden's Bronx Green-Up program, turned empty lots into beautiful gardens.

To learn more about the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and for a full list of this year's other award winners, please visit www.imls.gov.

The New York Botanical Garden has been a vital New York City cultural destination since its founding in 1891. The Garden pursues its mission through its role as a museum of living plant collections arranged in gardens and landscapes across its National Historic Landmark site; through its comprehensive education programs in horticulture and plant science; and through the wide-ranging research programs of the International Plant Science Center. For information about the Garden, please visit http://www.nybg.org

For a full version of this press release, please click here: http://www.nybg.org/press_releases/NATIONALMEDAL-IMLS2010-NYBG-FINAL.pdf

The New York Botanical Garden Media Contact: Nick Leshi [email protected], 718.817.8616/8658

Images available

SOURCE The New York Botanical Garden

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED