Joseph Planta, also known as Joseph von Planta, was an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century librarian and scholar. Born in Castasegna on February 21, 1744, he eventually relocated to Great Britain, where he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
Planta is best remembered for his distinguished service at the British Museum. He served as the institution's Principal Librarian, a role equivalent to its Director, during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. He held this prominent administrative position until his death on December 3, 1827, contributing to the stewardship of one of the world's premier cultural institutions.