The Washington times., 1903-01-29
NEW TUSEUA PLANS
LAID BEFORE CONGRESS
Total Cost Of Building Esti-
mated at $5,OO0,OOO.
PRESSING NEED FOR SPACE
United States Far Behind Europe II
Exhibition WOrk-Valuable Collac-
tons Packed Away.

or the Mall for the United States Na-
tional Museum have been transmitted
10 Congress by Secretary Langley. Of
the Smithsonian Institution. in accord
ance with the Instructions contained in
4 provision Of the suudry civil bill pass
ed last year The pressing need Ior
more space in which TO place exhibits
collected and stored away by the Gov
eTnmcnJ has Ions been urged upon
Congress. and there is every reason 20
believe that acJi1n looking TO the e~cc-
tion of a building cCsting between
$2,o50,9G3 and S2,ega05o may be taken
at the present session
The plans contemplate a rectangular
building, about 4S6 feet front by s55
feet deep and about so feet high. incIud-
ing the basement. The building is de-
signed Scr Iov- floors. and viii afford
about 10000 square feet Of floor space,
the first and second floors to be used for
exhibition, the basement and upper
EoCr for storage work rooms. and other
Eecessaries TO thc conduct Of a museum
This building if is estimated. could he
erected in substantial freproof form for
3 sum not exceeding $4,000 .00G.
The plans have been designed in such
manner that approximately one half of
the building can be constructed at once.
presenting the appearance Of g completed
building While this portion of the
building viii not provide for the growth
of the Museum, it VIII relieve the con
gested condition OF the exhibition halls.
make possible a classification Of the re
serve collections and remove the necessi-
y Of employing any rented buildings.
Foreign Museums Studied.
The plans have been drawn. says Sec
retaTy Langley in slis letter of transmit
tai, after a careful study of all important
museums here and abroad, and embodies
their useful features and avoids their de-
fects- It is expected that the building
VIII be superior for museum purposes tn
any building in this country or Europe.
and il is recommended that Congress
appropriate l,500. 900 for the construction
of the half Of the building already men
toned.
Accompanying the plans is much ma
teTial and data descriptive Of the great
museums Of the world, with statements
Of the present size Of the collections
made by the Government Of the United
States and their need for exhibition and
storage purposes. = detailed history Of
the Smithsonian Institution and Nation
al 1IUseUm IS also given
The National Museum today occupies
the building erected for its use in 1881.
the greater part Of the Smithsonian IN
sututio1, parts OF three detached build
ings On the Mall, and several rented
buildings on B Street southwest. In all
the Museum covers al present z5s. .G59
square feet, of which over one-baIf. or
143,4sS feet is contained in the main
building. Of this space the greater part,
or 112,6 ,697 feet, is taken up by exhibi-
uOns and the remainder in storage, heat
ing plant, lecture hall. mechanical work
shops, library, administrative Offices, etc. /
Comment IS made upon the congested
condition of the Museum, which IS de-
cIared dsplorable for d great country.
Every branch Is seriously hampeTed by
the lack Of adequate space, and the
proper disposition Of specimens has long
been impossible. with the result that
year after year valuable collections,
often large IN size, have been packed
away in Insecure rented buildings. where
they are inaccessible.
An estimate OF the space needed
amounts TO about 670.00 square feet.
Dcductlrg the square feet in rented
buildings. which IL is believed should
be abandoned, shows that approximately
zs7. $50 square feet. are needed to enable
proper display TO be made. Several
plans have been tried BY which this
space could be obtained at a cost OF
$1,50o.00 the amount stipulated in the
provision Of the civil suBdry act of last
year. but UnsuccessfuIly.
a comparison Of the amount Of space
devoted by European museums TO ex-
hibits reveals the fact that the United
States. which fairly revcIs in objects Of
natural science worthy Of exhibit. is far
behind. Taken altogether, the five mu-
seums in London. including the famous
British Museum, have q total area Of
9Sg, ,2s8 square feet, of which two-thirds
is devoted TO exhibition. Additions are
already in course Of construction TO the
Victoria and Albert Museum which are
NE-L--'1LEtl sr III E-5L sEr-HH- -hEHs anu " lsL
nearly double its present area Of 531.s1I
square feet.
Museums Of Paris and Berlin.
Paris is especially noteworthy for the
number OF It's government or national
museums, which cover the entire range
Of museum subjects in science, the in
dustriaI arts and the fine arts. Ger
many possesses no Imperial museums. /
but the Royal Prussian and other gov
erument museums in Berlin may be re-
garded Is of the nature of national es-
ta5Ifshments. Statistics Of but seven /
Of the largest Berlin museums snow
that they. occupy about go 900 square
feet. and the buildings cost about |
sos los. Two great museums Of a /
number IN Vienna, Austria, cover I28,-
0S5 square feet OF space and cost s, ,592. -
600.
Special reference is made TO the |
American Museum Of Natural History /
il New York city which is the largest /
and most Important municipal museum 4
q natural history in the world Tho