Linnean Society of London

The **Linnean Society of London** is the world's biggest society for the study and discussion of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a Zoological Journal, as well as Botanical and Biological Journals. It also prints _The Linnean_, a review of the history of the society and of taxonomy.

The Linnean Society was started in 1788. It was named after the Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus. The Society is based at Burlington House in Piccadilly, London. Members can be a _Student member_, an _Associate member_ or a _full Fellow_. To become a member, a person needs to be nominated by two or more Fellows, and succeed in an election. Fellows of the society can use the letters _FLS_ after their names to show their membership of the Society (for example, _John Smith FLS_).

## Medals and prizes

The Linnean Society of London wants to promote the study of all areas of the biological sciences. They especially want to promote the study of evolution, taxonomy, biodiversity and sustainability.  The Society awards medals and grants to help with this.

The following medals and prizes are awarded by the Linnean Society:
- The _Linnean Medal_ was started in 1888. It was awarded (until 1958) to a botanist one year and to a zoologist the next year. Since 1958 it has been awarded to one of each in the same year.
- The _H. H. Bloomer Award_ was started in 1963. The money comes from a legacy from the amateur naturalist Harry Howard Bloomer. It is awarded to an amateur naturalist who has made an important contribution to biology.
- The _Bicentenary Award_ was started in 1978, on the 200th anniversary of the death of Linnaeus. It is given to someone who has done important work and who is under the age of 40 years.
- The _Jill Smythies Award_ was started in 1986. It is awarded for botanical illustrations.
- The _Irene Manton Prize_ was started in 1990. It is awarded for the best dissertation in botany during an academic year.
- The _Darwin-Wallace Medal_ is awarded for very important advances in evolutionary biology.

## Collections

Linnaeus' botanical and zoological collections were bought in 1783 by Sir James Edward Smith, the first President of the society. They are held in London by the Society. The collections include 14,000 plants, 158 fish, 1,564 shells, 3,198 insects, 1,600 books and 3,000 letters and documents. If you want to see them, you need to make an appointment.

James Smith's own plant collection is also kept by the Society. It has been put into a database by the Smith Herbarium Project at the National Museums Liverpool. 6,000 plants have been cleaned and repaired.

## Linnean Societies worldwide

**Australia**
- Linnean Society of New South Wales
**Canada**
- Société linnéenne du Québec
**France**
- La Société Linnéenne de la Seine maritime
- Société linnéenne de Lyon
- Société linnéenne de Provence
- Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux
- Société Linnéenne de Normandie
**Sweden**
- The Swedish Linnaeus Society
**United Kingdom**
- The Linnean Society of London
**United States**
- The Linnean Society of Lake Superior, Inc.
- The Linnaean Society of New York

## Other websites

- Works related to  at the English Wikisource

- Linnean Society of London
- Medals and prizes of the Linnean Society
- Linnean Societies Worldwide
- The Linnaean Society of New York