The Huntington Launches Cross-Collection Search Tool

A specimen of Camellia sinensis tea plant from The Huntington’s Botanical collections; a 19th-century drawing of five women gathered for refreshments from the Art collections; and a turn-of-the-century trade image recalling the Boston Tea Party from the Library. Encountered separately, these objects reside in different collecting areas and tell distinct stories. Seen together, they trace how tea moves from plant to social ritual to political symbol.

Designed to reveal exactly these kinds of connections, The Huntington’s new digital search platform, Collections Connections, takes cross-disciplinary discovery as its focus, enabling users to find curious connections by theme or search. Currently in beta—open for exploration and feedback—it brings together nearly 1 million digitized records from across the institution’s Library, Art, and Botanical collections into a single searchable interface. Materials long siloed by system or specialty—including artworks, manuscripts, rare books, maps, plant records, and photographs—are now accessible side by side. 

“This platform brings to life a central goal of The Huntington’s strategic plan: to expand access, engagement, and education for a broader public,” said Karen R. Lawrence, president of The Huntington. “By uniting our collections in one place, Collections Connections invites our community to explore new relationships between objects and ideas—and to discover The Huntington in new ways.” 

Each of The Huntington’s three collecting areas continues to maintain its own research catalogs. But  Collections Connections  serves a different role: it is built for discovery, not scholarly research. The platform is designed to highlight patterns, encourage browsing, and allow users to follow ideas across disciplines and media. 

Themes at launch include  Tea, Food & Drink, Pets, Women Artists, the Desert Collection, and  Botanical Illustrations. Some, such as  Borderlands, evolve around exhibitions. Others offer more playful or unexpected entry points into the collections. 

Each theme centers on a topic and draws together related objects from one or more collecting areas, ranging from illustrated natural histories and archival letters to ceramics and horticultural specimens. Not every theme spans all three collections, but all are designed to reveal unexpected relationships. 

“Collections are often organized using technical systems—catalog codes, taxonomies, departments,” said Heather Hart, The Huntington’s vice president for digital and technology. “This platform asks what becomes possible when ideas and curiosity guide the search instead.” 

Once an item is selected, more information becomes available. Depending on the item, it may provide its provenance, label copy, medium, and accession number. A recommendations  feature suggests related material based on shared subject matter, visual characteristics, creators, or historical context. For plant specimens, a “Where will I find it?” tool points users to locations across The Huntington’s 130 acres of gardens, using ArcGIS mapping. 

Rather than creating new records, the platform pulls data nightly from seven existing systems, merges them through a custom index, and links users back to original records for deeper research. 

Collections Connections  is still evolving. Upcoming features include expanded thematic pathways and deeper integration with The Huntington’s storytelling. Over time, the platform is expected to strengthen the role of collections in education, storytelling, and public engagement. 

As development continues, Collections Connections is designed to grow alongside its users—shaping new ways of seeing across The Huntington’s collections. The platform is available at  huntington.org/collections.  

For press inquiries or to request high-resolution press images, email huntingtonnews@huntington.org. 

About The Huntington 

The Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides transformative experiences for a community of the curious. Founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, it supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections. By cultivating dynamic scholarship, creating innovative programs for students and lifelong learners, and sharing its extraordinary resources, The Huntington invites all on a journey of discovery, insight, and connection. Only 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California. Learn more at huntington.org.