New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-11
MUSEUM OF ART EXPENSES.
TIE TRUSTEES ARE IN A QUANDARY.
MIST THE INSTITUTION BE CLO;ED on Sun
DAYS f-REPoET or TIE EXECUTIVE

IN IN. Trustees OF that institution which II now under
consideration BY the latter. This IS the report In hi
40 the Trustees Of The Metropolitan Museum Of Art.
"Gcntlcmcn our State LEGISLATURE last winter
authorized authorities Of this city appropriate
10 the use Of your for the coming year the
sum OF $40. 600 I'm addition 10 the sum o. e21OUO
which the museum had become entitled 10 by previous
legislation making total of $4,000, on condiuoh
that the is kept open aud free TO the p"p"c
every day in the year. including SUNDAYS ana TWO
evenings in The week.
The Board Of Estimate and Apporonment at ther
recent session. Instead CT approprlating the sum Of
$4,000 for the estimated needs Of the museum nave
appropriated but $4,000. The acceptance Oh tms
appropriation threatens with very serious dehct
and Invites crisis In the finances Of the museum VI
grave character that the executive committee mas
requested the president to call yon together IN ad
vance OF your regular meeting. that they may pFoft
by Your counsel.
In order to u clear understanding of the st
uation that cOnfronts rs. and OF the MouVes
which prompt the recommendations We are
about 10 make to the board. 1t will be necessary iof
us to review briefly the financial history OF yonr
corporation. with special reference 10 us reAuohs
with the city authorities which seem to be quite
GENERALLY misunderstood.
"whcn the project OF founding museum OF art In
this city took shape BY the union Oh le" gentlemen au
their incorporation In 1870 as The Metropolitan Mu
scum Of Art Central Park had been but recently
interested In that work thought that such an nsu-
hon AZ we proposed TO establish would constitute
Desirable addition TO its attractions and they proposeu
10 rs 10 give IL a home within the Park IL was
then, OF course. impractcable for either parry u
enter into sny contract but they did come to an I'M
Outstanding that " would transfer our collections
and open and operate museum Of art. the CITY woud
provide suitable building for 1t IN the Park and IN
addition would make an annual contribution to It's
maintenance.
"Th,s general understanding which did not at that
time assume the form Of a contract. the founda-
ton OF the relations which have hitherto suoss'oo
between your museum and the City Of New YORK
While the city proceeded with the erectoh OF
bnIdiDg for U.S. which we now occupy. we went on
With preparations FOR It's equipment ana Ill l0'a
opened our musetm at 10. CSl E1nhave. We udha'
ferred N 1878 to the morr spacious ACCOMMODATIONS
at No. 12s West Fourteenth st. In that year. ana
for the first time the city contributed to the main
tenanre OF the museum the sum of TlJoOO Which sum
it has contributed annually since.
.When the park building completed on the
oath OF November. 1o7o, lease of 1t was eN@cn'cd
by che city corporation. This Instrument pro-
vided for our occupation of the building, but made no
provision for contributions by the city toward our
.xpenses In this instrument We bound ourselves
TO place our collections in the building, and to
admit the public TO them free four DAYS In each week
and on all legal public holidays except sundays
md also TO admit free Of charge all persons engaged
In teaching In any Institutions OF learning IN tle city
on every secular day in the year
"TbiS ease applied only TO the building, but not
to any surrounding territory. 1t was Therefore I'M
practicable for for persons desiring to aid
us 10 extend building or TO erect additions Ihc
cty authorities however fully recognizing the rapd
growth and value OF the museum have generously
extended the buildings required for its accommodation
no ohange, however has been made OF proposed III
the terms of our which understood to include
these extensions.
1.-THE annual expenses Of operating the museum. OF
course have increased with Its growth. It's total
operating expenses from 1871 TO 1892 have been
Ss9O,s46ll. Toward this the city has contributed
1892 O75 80. The museum has thus out oil It's own
means contributed S55e $50 rs.
Meantime the museum property In works OF art
has increased BY the gifts and beQuest OF It's mem
hers enormously. Its present value would be mod
erately estimated at So 100000. and think we may
say with confidence that the equivalent of It's treas
ures could not BE- replaced for that sum-
The sources OF income for the museum are: Fees
OF annual members, Fl 500 ADMISSION fees on two
days Of the week, S573l Is; sale of catalogues,
a, co 20; income from special endOwncnts f4.Ot1 g.
The total income from these sources amounted In
the year 1891 TO the sum Of So ,099 GS.
You aware that hitherto our entire income
has been required 10 meet running expenses.
80 that have had no funds devote TO the
rchmen< Of the museum. A very few purchases
have been made. but only where a neglect Of the op
por,uniiy would have been l!ttlt less than crime.
We have been wholly dependent upon the generosity
OF individuals and friends fjr every Increase Of our
collections. How great Las been that generosity.
our halls and galleries bear witn"-~. The city has
not contributed dollar toward the increase Of
said collections.
"Whie the members Of your CORPORATION Civ
ing large sums annually toward building mp the ml-
scum. the interest Of The public in it seemed proper
tionatcy to increase and, not content with ia" priv
an
made by the public, well b. the municipal
thores, for their lhCrease. la the year $50 the
Board Of Estimate aud Apporonmcut appropriated
the further OF 10000, on condition that the
museum be opened free TO the public either sun
days two evening, in the wcch, at our option
After mature debclatIon the trustees accepted This
conditional Offer and on the 10th day OF May. 1880.
when the arrangements for lighting the institution were
completed. the museum WAS opened. ana las 'incc
continued be open. two evenings In the week ever
since.
Tile pressure however for sunday openings was
rather increased than rclaScd b this concession.
Petitions nUMcrouSl3 .ispcd were poured in upon
us for free sundays. The ardent champions OF this
measure unhcsta'lnsy encouraged is expect all
the p,cuniary aid necessary to meet the Increased
expenses OF such sep, while prominent individual
members of the city government were understood
10 have freely promised ample appropriations from
the city treasury.
"The trustees, reluctantly and not without serious
misgiying,, resolved 10 Try th" experiment. without
WAXING uH tie means for meeting the additional
expenses lie Incurred had been actually provided
secured aud IN sunday the Jlst OF May. 1891. the
museum Was opened free 10 the public and has, con-
unued to be 80 opened sunday to the present
tme.
Before the end Of 1901 we found that however
acceptable 10 the public the free sunday opening was
far from favorable the pccunlary Interests VI tho
museum. our membership began 10 fall OH, aud with
Il our income from that source The committee who
had urged sunday opening placed In our hands $1,000
toward our new liabilities with promises OF abundant
public support In The future. The sum OF $50 was
sent Us from other sources. One OF our trustees
handed H. 10000 rs the generous GIT Of one OF our
patrons Mr.. Henry .. Havemcycr. Another g'ntic-