Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam acquires groundbreaking botany book by a pioneering author

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, one of the leading museums of the world, just acquired a botanic book about Surinam for its collection. The author, Maria Sibylla Merian, was a 52-year-old divorcee who embarked on a self-funded voyage to Suriname in 1699, driven by relentless curiosity about the lives of insects. The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Will you support The World with a monthly donation?

Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!