The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-06
The Museum IN the Central Park.


A comfortable assurance Of efficiency
In the current management Of the Metro
politan Museum Of Art IL TO be found in
the actual anticipation Of certain admir-
able projects outlined in the latest annual
report Of the trustees. Only a year has
passed since the present director came
to take n preliminary survey Of the coli
lections in his charge; hardly four months
since the assistant director was ap-
pointed; not three since the arrival Of
the new curator Of paintings, Yet even
to the careless visitor n notable improve
ment must already be apparent.
The conditions encountered by the new
executive staff were in many ways per-
picking. Here was a museum strangely
homogeneous in composition; manifestly
barren and neglected in some parts,
rank and overgrown in others; in all
more or less accidental and ~disordered.
This state Of affairs was largely a con-
sequence Of its early poverty. For the
first thirty years the museum had to
depend mainly upon charity; there wa
no money to make up for deficiencies;
it was hardly possible to reject super
fuous gifts, when offered, as many were,
with a reasonably attractive bait. Many
a museum, much richer than the Metro
politan in those days, has taken a great
deal that it did not want for the sake
of something it dared not refuse. And
in the case of the Metropolitan Museum
a certain patience in dealing with un-
welcome givers did in time bring well
come gifts, which raised it ultimately to
a strong and independent position. 1t
can now afford to be a chooser.
But this development Of strength
solved only a few of the problems of
reform. 1t was not as if the new staff
had been set free in a new building with
a good allowance and perfect liberty to
make the most of it. That would have
been a comparatively simple task. Be-
sides new opportunities there were old
imperfections to reckon with, and not q
few Of these were practically incurable.
On coming into its manhood the museum
found itself, not indeed too late to ac-
quire distinction among the great mu-
seums Of the world, but a little behind
in the race. Moreover, with all its
brilliant prospects, it had many present
difficulties to face: errors Of growth to
be dealt with, deformities to be cor-
rected. The chaotic state Of the various
collections, the excess of undesirable
things in all Of them, and above all
certain rigorous conditions accepted of
necessity in the old days-these were
some Of the troubles beside which the
task Of filling gaps was small.
Much has already been done toward
overcoming the numerous difficulties.
There has been wedding where wedding
was possible; where it was not possible
discreet Encouragement has reduced I'M
worthy examples to comparative OBJ
security and exalted many admirable
things formerly ignored. 1t begins to
be possible for the casual visitor to dis
tinguish between treasures and refuse;
it begins to be evident that human intel
ligence and knowledge have been brought
to bear in the several departments.
The museum has ceased to be a mere
storehouse; it is becoming what its
makers wished it to be, a means "of
encouraging and developing the study
of the fine arts and the application of
arts to manufactures and practical life,
and of advancing the general knowledge
of kindred subjects.' In the reali-
cation Of this ideal, pedantry and an
undesirable didacticism have been
avoided. The new management has hit
upon q reasonable compromise, accept
able alike to scholar and amateur; it is
making the best Of it's opportunities, and
under its enlightened direction we need
have no fears for the future Of the
Metropolitan Museum.