born , Feb. 13, 1743, London, Eng.
died June 19, 1820, Isleworth, London
British explorer and naturalist.
After studying at Oxford, Banks inherited a fortune that allowed him to travel extensively, collecting plant and natural history specimens. He outfitted and accompanied Kew Gardens , he transformed it into a major botanical institution. His herbarium , one of the most important in existence, and his library, a major collection of works on natural history, are now at the British Museum.