Botanical Research Institute of Texas

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The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) is a botanical research center in Fort Worth. It began in 1987 around the herbarium and library of Lloyd H. Shinners from Southern Methodist University and has grown a lot since then. BRIT studies plant taxonomy, conservation, and shares knowledge with scientists and the public.

In 2011 BRIT moved to new, sustainability‑minded buildings next to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. The design by Hugh Hardy includes two main structures: the Archives Block, a 20,000‑square‑foot climate‑controlled herbarium with 5,000 square feet for research and a library plus a solar roof, and the Think Block, a 44,000‑square‑foot space for education, exhibits, and offices with lots of natural light. A green roof with native Texan prairie plants was added between 2007 and 2012.

BRIT is a private, non‑profit organization open to the public. Its work covers plants in Texas and worldwide, including a world‑class collection of preserved specimens and books. The institute also publishes about plants and runs outreach, research, and conservation programs.

The Philecology Herbarium at BRIT is one of the ten largest in the United States, with more than 1.5 million specimens. It includes the Lloyd H. Shinners Collection, moved from SMU in 1991, the Vanderbilt University Collection (donated in 1997), and the R. Dale Thomas Plant Collection from the University of Louisiana (added in 2017). BRIT’s library holds about 125,000 volumes and journals. The library began with Shinners and Eula Whitehouse’s personal collections and now focuses on systematic botany and the history of botany. In 1997 BRIT published Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas.

BRIT publishes the Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas and Botanical Miscellany, plus an IRIDOS newsletter for Friends of BRIT. It also presents annual awards, including the International Award of Excellence in Conservation (since 1993) and other honors. The Wendy Owsley Garrett Science Teacher Award (established in 2001) and the International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing (2010) are part of its recognitions.

BRIT’s collections and education programs are open to the public. Its activities include lectures, workshops, and classes for adults, families, students, and teachers, often in collaboration with other organizations. The Rainwater Charitable Foundation funds the Teacher Learning Center. BRIT also runs a Distinguished Lecturer series, the T.M. Barkley Plant Science and Ecology Seminar, and a volunteer program that supports research, events, and education.