New-York tribune., 1910-03-06
STOREHOUSE OF NATION.
Great Hall Of Museum To BE
Tbrozcn Open This Week.

! q, --7-r=o- Of the great new National Museum
a,,rs+-r at Washington VIII be thrown open to
o., ---tlic before the end OF the present week
s-sfs VIII mark the first Of the final steps in
g. completion Of the greatest storehouse for
a. and information that the nation has ever
roast-u-ted Il VIII be followed rapidly by
e4bers. and by the end Of the summer every
tffnE VII De in place in the magnificent struct-
e. the completion Of which marks TO the
.--ist. the scientist, the historian, the student
er al manner OF things an era in American
Development
rs completion means that what is said TO be
tg,a greatest natural history collection IN the
- nay be adequately shown TO the public
T. means that there viii be exhibition space for
e.. collection Of historical relics which is by
nm persons considered more precious than
.nr+hirs eIse that viii ever be massed to-
Eet6e-. L means that certain amount Of
epace NAY be had for that nucleus for a
Rational gallery Of art which is already formed
e. IS So rapidly increasing as to promise
collection owned by the government that VIII
ra1k ravo-abIy with those OF the great nations
O. Europe.
The new building is roughly completed. In
s5e the rooms are finished ant await only the
placing Of the material which is TO cover their
t. acres of floor space Outside there is but
t. approach 10 be completed and the debris
O. the years Of construction 70 be cleared away.
Then there 5 the uassng and the arrangement
o. the vast stores Of material This work VIII
recuire the entire spring and summer, and
xher the autumn comes II Is expected that all
~ be IN readiness. Then there Will be held
g-aaG opening, 10 which all the world VIII be
t1yite5 The occurrence Of the present week
~ be without fornaIty. and viii consist mere
+ of the throwing open Of one great hal 70 the
public
But this happening marks the first definite
Accomplishment IL 2 campaign Of more than
ha.f century for the establishment OF ade-
euate museum that would couport with the
eignIty Of this great nation The actual con-
Et-,1cci0n Of the building has required SIX years
l. was IL 1904 that Congress appropriated the
G orey for its erection The amount was $500
DD0 = sufficient sum 10 erect q structure that is
adequate for the present needs. Since that
hrle the work has been pushed 10 the utmost.
but many delays have been experienced, chief
b through q failure of stone contractors to
deliver material on time.
The new building is situated in the Mall direct
b II front Of the Smithsonian building which
L faces. i Is Z massive and digrifed granite
.t-llcture. four stories high. with frontage Of
56I feet and q depth Of 365 feet. It's shorter
AXIS Is n iine with 10th street, through which
: may be reached from Pennsylvania avenue,
distance Of three blocks The principal ex-
zrnal feature Of the building is a large square
pavilion a. the middle OF the south side, ter
riua,lng n four pediments at some distance
lb0ve the main roofs. Inclosed by the pavilion
s q rotunda eighty feet in diameter, with four
Massive, ornamental piers surmounted by a
,u-ved ceiling reaching TO a height Of 127 feet
The exterior structure Of the rotunda is carried
.bove The pedinents Of the pavilion in the shape
II . circular granite wall. capped by q simple,