Linnean Society of London

The Linnean Society of London

Formation	1788; 236 years ago (1788) (royal charter: 1802)
Type	Learned society
Purpose	Natural History, Evolution & Taxonomy
Location	Burlington House, Piccadilly London, W1
Membership	3,168 (as of 2023[update])[1]
President	Anjali Goswami
Website	www.linnean.org
Remarks	Motto: Naturae Discere Mores ("To Learn the Ways of Nature")

The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature collections, and publishes academic journals and books on plant and animal biology. The society also awards a number of prestigious medals and prizes.

A product of the 18th-century enlightenment, the society is the oldest extant biological society in the world and is historically important as the venue for the first public presentation of the theory of evolution by natural selection on 1 July 1858.

The former patron of the society was Queen Elizabeth II. Honorary members include: King Charles III of the United Kingdom, Emeritus Emperor Akihito of Japan, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (both of the latter have active interests in natural history), and the eminent naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.^[2]