Henry E. Huntington Founds the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

In 1928, following the death of railroad magnate and collector of art and rare books Henry E. Huntington in 1927, The Huntington Library in San Marino, California, opened to the public. The library originated as the private library of Henry Huntington, who collected on a very grand scale with the intention of eventually opening his library to the public.  In February 2021, when I wrote this entry, the Huntington Library stated that it held "more than eleven million items spanning the 11th to 21st century."

Along with the library the Huntington includes a major art museum and famous botanical gardens which encompass about 120 acres and include 16 themed gardens. The art collection and museum was originally primarily the project of Henry Huntington's wife, Arabella Huntington.