New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-17
NATURAL HISTORY BY NIGHT.
INCREASING NUMBERS AT THE MUSEUM

INCREASING -NUMBEfSo Al IIE mCcHOa-
THE EVENING OPENINGS ATTRACTING MANY
vIsIroRs-A PLACE FOR STUDY AND RE-
sEARcH-EFFoRTs OF THE TRUSTEES
TO ADD TO ITS POPULARITY.
The Museum OF Natural History has taken another
stem in advancing its influence as an educational IN
stittion by opening its halls two evenings week
TO the public. On Tuesday and Saturday nights and
On all public holidays of the week tho Museum in the
future is to DO open until 10 o'clock in the evening,
The Museum authorities arc satisfied with the trial
of four weeks that tho opening is no longer
experiment but that the attendance which Is good
will steadily increase as the knowledge of the instjtu
ton becomes more widely spread.
The present building, which was erected only little
more than years ago, had not been completed with
an idea of opening It at night So rapidly has the city
grown on the west side of Central Park. that the
squatter who turned away TO make room for this
structure would hardly recognize the neighborhood To-
day II they had not seen it since. When the Museum
was finished the Sixth Avenue Elevated road only ex-
tended far the Eighty frstst station The Da-
kota Flats at seventysecond-st were not begun and
there were not more than half dozen buildings Of
brick or stone west Of Central Park Now the Museum
Square is rapidly being surrounded with some Of the
finest dwellings in the city, and before the annex is
completed all the building lots in the neehbohood arc
likely to DO occupied.
This growth has helped 10 increase the attend
ance, but 1t was the discovery that many of the
visitors from the distant parts of the city
which led President Morris X Jesup TO suggest 10
the trustees the plan Of opening at night Trustees
william E. Dodge, Oliver Hartman James NJ Con-
stable Adrian Iseln and Professor A. S. Bickmore
have also engaged with him in the efforts to insure
the success OF the experiment Gas was placed on
each Of the four floors and electric lamps IN tho square
on the walls leading 10 the museum entrance. More
than 500 gas burners were required throughout the
building to light 1t properly and to show to best
advantage the exhibits in the various alcoves.
STEADY INCREASE OF VISITORS.
"The building could hardly have been opened at a
more unfavorabs time,s Mr.. Jesup remarked. "we
did everything TO make the opening at night known
but for the first two three weeks every night
proved TO be stormy and unpleasant, but there has
been steady increase In the number Of visitors.
On one evening there were nearly 1000 and In four
weeks there have been over 5000 visitors to the
museum at night-an average Of sl3 each evening
Careful attention has been given to this in order
to afford data to judge of the experiment"
Are YOU able TO ascertain whether the visitors
come from any particular part Of the ctyi'
sThey seem to come from all parts While good
many come from the West Side, yet we can Judge
by those who take the elevated trains that number
come from Harlem. More than half Of the Visitors
should say como from below Ffy.ninth-st There
are many young women there, and large portion
seem to be young and women who are en-
ployed during the day. and who find these visits not
only a recreation but a source OF information ana
study"
Professor Bickmore, who had been present az the
museum nearly every evening since was opened saa
that no was entirely satisfied with the interest which
the public showed. He felt that the attendance
would show from yeaeto year steady increase as 'lo
city was built up and the museum became more cc'ra
An effort was made prevail the Elevated Railroad
/ ctofs Mt
N tho museum station at Eighty frst-st, ana Mr.
nclnors caIlct on the officers Of the road Win inc
object but II was not thought possible by them TO
attempt sueh an experiment. Mr.. Bekmoro said that
the visitors cams not only from all parts OF the city
In the evening. but also from Brooklyn
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES
On Saturday. he added, " the museum is not closed
from the time It opens in the morning until 10
o'clock at night. This gives long day. ana IL
affords special chance for natural history societies
in the city 10 pass the afternoon and evening Oi'e
they bring luncheon and make arrangements III
advance by writing 10 the museum. Ihesc oi~S'oe
will number from ten to twenty as rule. but some
times there have been from seventy to 100 In men,
rbev take I'D one alcove at time In one Oh inc
departments. and the teachers who accompany INC
classes explain the specimens anu ets az the
museum regular nierT ana IN t9s ss woods
gagged in the study Of s }nr tbe museum At each
visit the members take up a speclai snVI,P doing
animation. In this manner d te ne eSenings viii add
treaty. to 10 opportunities; IL VIII secure ~ the
An influence not only In the city but all oVef 'i'
The superintendent OF the museum. Wills h yib
lace said that there had never been any ao at
night wore usually grown people Who appear The he four
an intelligent ineress In tho oOicn od not show
Scors world hold great many visitors anu no, n1 a
how large nunbcr there were BIT IN eysty nev
of pleasant evening there %Su hson pJsscd along
the centre OF the halls were always o st nRPgb Mr.
V asce said that Mr.. Jesup and Mr. Dodge hau a.,
ranged the placing Of NOTICES IN o ores Give some
account of the museum and state the days ana %
ines 1t was open to the public, and woa sP shed 10
reach Circulars were also being sent out continually
With the same view and the NUMBER ~ tSat this
method was having already the elect when was
desired