Fungarium

This museum houses an extraordinary collection of fungi, one of Earth's most fascinating life forms. Marvel at the beautiful colours and incredible shapes of mushrooms and lichens, and peer through microscopes at penicillin. Fungi are sources of food and medicine for humans, but also vital for plant and animal life in most ecosystems. Find out how they evolved, how they reproduce and just how important they are to life on the planet.

Ester Gaya is a senior research leader at Kew. She began her career in mycology in Spain and after some time in the USA decided to settle in the UK. She has spent the past 20 years researching fungi. She is especially fascinated by lichens and tries to understand their evolution.