Evening star., 1886-11-08
CRAMPED FOR ROOM.
More Space Needed for the National
Museum.

PROFESSOR BAIRD IN HIS ANNUAL ESTIMATES
ASKS FOR S25O,O 90 TO BEGIN NEW BUILD
ING WEST OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.
Prof. Spencer F. Baird, director of the Smith
sonian institution, and ex-officio head of the
National museum, in his annual estimates for
the museum asks Congress to appropriate
$3.50, 600 with which to begin the construction
OF q new building, to flank the Smithsonian
building on the west as the present museum
f1anks it on the east This sum will carry to
completion the front and one wing of the new
building, and another nearly equal sum will be
required to finish the structure. 1t the pro.
posed worlds exposition in 1892, the project
for which is under consideration by commit
tee of Congress, meets with approval, the money
devoted to the construction of the new build
toward the necessary outlay for that exposition
But in any event the new structure is held to be
an immediate and pressing necessity.
1t is pointed out that the one hundred thou.
sand feet OF exhibition space in the hall of the
present building contains material which in
any OF the great museums of Europe would be
given two or three times the space accorded to
II here. Its mahogany cases have barely space
between them for the passage of the student
ana observer, While the curious and costly eX-
hlbits within are in many instances packed
together like the wares in a country store. How
to Tind room for the Grant mementoes and TOR
the articles contributed by the Japanese gov
ernment, now on their way hither, illustrating
all the useful and ornamental arts OF that
curious people, are, the museum authorities
say, among the problems which they are at the
present moment trying 10 solve.
WEALTH OF RESOURCE AND POVERTY OF SPACE
Yet this statement of the condition of the
exhibition but half tells, they say, the story of
the wealth OF resource and the poverty of space
of the institution. Several OF the forty or more
of its departments, and these not the least in
teresLing and important, have practically no
representation in the exhibition, 1T being
thought best by their curators not to make dis
plays which in their inadequacy would only be
tantaliZing or misleading; while scarcely any
OF the departments has more than a traction of
the space they require.
The materials ready prepared tor display are
packed In cases. jars and other receptacles in
cellars, crypts and garrets, and a small village
time to time for special purposes is packed from
floor to ceiling with rich materials which re-
main IN untouehed by the scientists and I workmen
exhibits inherited from the Centennial exposi-
ton. comprising artistic bronzes, tiles, pOrce-
ians and a thousand varieties of typical handi-
work OF foreign countries, remain in the
original boxes in which they were shipped
from Philadelphia ten years ago. Were the
new building ready tor occupancy to-day, its
entire space would be taken up at once with
selected objects already prepared tor display.
The workshops OF the institution are crowded
into odd corners OF all the borrowed buildings
OF the nelghborhOod, and the taXidermists and
workers in plaster, clay and wood pursue their
callings under circumstances OF discouragng
Inconvenience.
The museum officers say that it is not in any
event intended Oh desired to put upon exhibit
terial which is or will be in possession OF the in
stitutiOn. The exhibits in many departments
will be but the indices of those held In reserve
The working collections will remain packed in
trays, drawers andreceptacles, designed with q
view at once TO economy OF space and accessi-
bitity for study and comparison. The museum
clearinghouse. Into its possession come un-
sorted thousands OF objects illustrating all
branches OF natural history. These are exam
ined, compared with their types, and such as
are not new and prepared for exhibition, iur-
n1stied With descriptive labels and held Tor pre-
sentatiOn to the college museums of the cOun-
try or exchange with foreign Institutions The
museum has
THREE PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
LIST. BY law all the collections made by the
scientific bureaus Of the government, the geo.
logical and chronological bureaus, the coast sur
vey and the fish commission become the prop.
efLy OF the museum after they have served the
original purposes OF their collectors; "a. Foreign
museums in all parts of the world send of their
ped abroad; and Sd. Private collectors donate
the contents OF their cabinets to an institution
winch Is expected to have Incompatible facili-
lies tor display, comparison ana study. The
current AccessiOns, despite the rather grudgtng
policy OF acceptance aud the outright rejection
IN many instances, are sufficient It ia said, to
dil q respectable IN museum every year.
The present museum building cost $25O,OOO
and Was completed less than six years ago. The
new binding Is designed to be OF about the
same size, but the increased price Of material
and labor, and the provisions for cellar and
working, room, which the present building
lacks Will, 1t Is thought, make 1t more costly
undertaking. It Its plans, as well as in its
systems of labelling, cataioguing and display,
the experience of the largest and best OF for.
egn institutions mas, 1t is said, been made avail
able ana IN many respects improved upon.
That portion OF the new building Tor which the
first appropriation is asked is designed to con-
tain the geological collections aud the work
rooms OF the Institution.
The three doctors who are attending Vice