New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-22

u
The opeping To the public of the new building OF
the American Museum of Natural History to-day
marks forward step in the cause Of science
in this city. The original ceremonies with which
fine foundation of the building WAS laid,
June 2, 1874, were at least equally imposing
President Grant, accompanied 10y the Secretaries
of state, of War, and of the Navy, oihcmted
in LAYING the cornerstone Governor DIX made
an excellent speech, and the Mayor Oh the clty,
and Professor Joseph Henry, OF the SmithSo-
nian Institution, lent their aid ana dignity to
the OCCASION To-day the opening ceremony ~
TO be performed by President Hayes. Pro-
fc,sor Lliot, President Of Harvard University,
and Professor Marsh, President OF the American
Association foy the Advancement OF Science
are numbered among the speakers. The build
ing is large well planned for Its purpose, ara
pait of a magnificent structure that VIII not
he finished during our lives. Already the
costly and snowy specimens obtained through
the libeialty of few of our citizens have
filled all available space in the new building.
These facts alone invest the affair with I'M
portancc.
But there are other circumstances that make
il not less a matter OF moment to this city.
At the time of the organization of the society,
in 1869 the trustees of this Museum adopted
a resolution declaring that while nearly all
the capitals of Europe, and the more inn
portant cities of our own land posscss'dmstruet-
i've and valuable museums OF natural history,
New.York, Notwithstanding It's metropolitan
positIou, was destitute of such an institution.
That was indeed the fact. In all matters
pertaining to science Ncw-York was sadly
behind cities and towns of Il fraction OF It's
wealth and influence. Professor Tyndall did
for this city what Professor Agassiz did for
assachusett5-rOused us a little 20 a sense of
our deficiencies but all would have slumbered
again if the trustees of the American Society
of Natural History had not put their shout
dcrs to the wheel. 1t results from this
previous apathy that the Museum has no
real competitor here the chief collections of
natural objects of curiosity IN this city are
now its own perhaps the only one worth mem
tiOning outside its walls is the geological col
lection over which Professor Newberry pre-
sides, at the School of Mines, Columbia Col
lege.
This new event brings new responsibilities.
The trustees of the Museum could not be cx-
pected TO offer the public more than curSory
view of the curiosites that were crowded to-
gcther mt the Arsenal, in Central Park.
The new building imposes the necessity
of showing the specimens to greater adyan-
tagc, and that requirement the trustees have
promptly accepted. II was implied also, that
new c0nvcnences and facilities for scientific
students should be provided, and this also has
been well done. But yet one thing more is
needed: the public should be educated to reap
the full benefit of this display. The exhibition is
very attractive as it stands, as our readers may
see from the description which we print to-
day i'm other columns. Yet there will not be
i'm the next twelve month, as there were last
year, more than million visitors to look at
these rare and beautiful objects TO keep
up the popular interest, the Museum must
add something more than the showman's art.
Our public needs liberal education in the
useful arts, as well rs IN the natural sciences ;
nor can that education be conferred by
sightseeing alone. There is room for
the Museum to add UNNECESSARILY to its
usefulness when it supplements its shows
by valuable public instruction, chiefly in the
form of popular lectures. When the extension
Of the Elevated Railway shall have made the
approach to the Museum more convenient, it is
to be hoped that this new field Of usefulness
will also Toe opened.