The Missouri Botanical Garden has multiple initiatives in progress that are opening the door to a new world of taxonomic research methods. We are developing new online pathways to taxonomic data, digitizing reference literature, and engaging with other institutions to better integrate plant data world-wide. But to truly fulfill the vision of this new world requires development of standard ways to share and integrate multiple dimensions of data. I will explore the peaks and valleys of this unexplored territory and suggest some priorities for moving forward from the point of view of a taxonomic research center.