Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-20
THE VALENTINE MUSEUM.

The opening of the Valentine Museum
tomorrow night will be an event In the
history OF Richmond and Virginia. but no
less an event in its promises and posi-
blines than in itself. And these prom
ises and possibilities lead in many direc-
tons The museum, as 1t stands, Is one
OF which any community might be proud,
and in its several departments it ranks
ahead Of similar institutions in some Of
tho largest cities Of the country. Housed
in a beautiful home, the gift of the late
Mann S. Valentine is the collection or
books. oil-paintings, manuscripts. auto
graphs. &c. Of that gentleman, together
with the treasures gathered along these
lines by his brother, the late Professor
William winston Valentine. Mr.. Edward
V. Valentine, the sculptor has made val
liable contributions Of tapestry, drawings,
&c. and the archaeological collection as
donated by three of MIR. Mann $. Valen-
tines sons-Messrs. Granville c., Benja-
min T., and Edward z. observation-disclosures
been acquired by them a great expense
and largely through personal field-work
in the way of opening mounds and other
exploration. Since the death of his IA
Their Mr.. Granville Valentine has supple
mented the other exhibits with a superb
collection Of casts. archaeological, and
illustrative Of the masters of some Of the
greatest schools of ancient and medieval
plastic art, and the whole is on finan-
cial foundation Of $4,000 endowment
Considered, therefore merely as an at
traction OF our city. place that will
give pleasure TO and instruct, through OBJ
servation, visitors from abroad and our
own people, the Valentine Museum IS an
institution that will bring Richmond more
prominently TO the front than ever as a
centre of interest for cultivated sight
seers But while It is intended that the
museum shall serve this purpose, that is
not the higher aim of those who laid Its
foundation; nor of those who are charged
with enlarging the supcrstructure.
1t is proposed that the Valentine Mu-
scum shall be another addition TO the
group OF educational institutions Of Rich
mond and an aid to them all. 1t is pro-
posed that It shall be working museum
giving additional impulse TO many studies
now pursued in our schools, seminaries
and colleges and inspiring the taking ur
OF new subjects
AS we understand them, the higher
ambition OF the trustees and the broader
purposes Of the museum may be sum-
med up as follows: To preserve the
relies illustrative OF the civilization OF
Virginia and the United States, from thC
discovery OF America to the present
time. and more especially TO secure from
destruction portraits. manuscripts, etc.
the products of southern labor; 10 pre-
serve the archaeological remains of Nir
ginia and the South, and so arrange then
as 70 show the habits and customs among
the aborlgines; 70 acquire, classify, anC
exhibit the natural products, botanica
and mineral, OF Virginia, for the puroos
OF developing further knowledge Of th'
States resources among Nirginians anC
prospectors; 10 acquire collections ex
nibiting raw materials, and the processe
OF manufacture OF the same into finished
products; TO acquire and classify speci
mems OF art and It's allled industries II
order that students may derive practica
benefits from them; 10 acquire Il com
plete reference library on the above sub
jects and 90 make this library OF practi
cal value 70 earnest Investigators.
The attainment Of these ends woul'
expand every department in the museum
add new departments. and make the in
stitution an auxiliary TO our whole edu
catlonal system. The programme invite
cooperation In establishing an anatomica
department for the benefit az on
medical colleges; department Of textil
fabrics. etc. for the benefit OF the Me
ehanics Institute: departments o. miner
aiogy and botany, for the use Of gu
other schools and colleges and so or
The Valentine Museum is on a basis tina
ensures its 9ermanency. In this respect