Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-25
DIR. s. W. WOODHOUSE, JR.
On Modern Museum Exhibiting

MUSEUM administration has undergone
AN1 quite ns much Of change as other lines
of endcuvOr in the last twenty years ac'or"-
ing +" Dr. $. W. WoodhouSc, lr., curator
Of the Pennsylvania Museum. VIII" has JUST
returned from visit to Europe. where ne
visited MANY Of the greatest museums with
the idea in mind of getting Information whlch
might be applied TO the new museum III
this city now being built on tn" Parkway
"Modcrn museum administration ana
procedure" said DR.. WoodhouSe. i'm
varably call for the showing of art "n-
icctS in the midst Of proper surroundings.
Thus. for example, We do not want I" snow
English porrclnins or Chippondalr IN elth"r
II Gothic chapel or philadclphla i"i''
What is needed to show th"S" hne Things
to the best adv0ntag" ar" carved OAK pHh'IS
or those of pine. thus giving IN" atih!sPn''c
which is demanded by these objects II they
are to be shown in the most effective man
Ger.
Acquired Fine Pine Room
'I.ast year we acquired n very fine pine
room from Tower Hill. London, and this
will make n perfect setting for the emp,
rrndalr which "" have at tn" museum ana
for our other Euglish treasures. While |
was abroad | looked carefully for more
rooms. saw many Of them and came
pretty nearly buying one, which, we may
huv vet but there wrr" one or more "D-
icctions to most OF them.
"Great care is exercised in tn" purchase
Of such things. in order that we may get
tn" best for tn" new museum building on
the Parkway. In rlU,rum work, tn" second
best may have to l" if We can't get IN" best.
hut we do not 60 around looking for any
except the very bcSt
.This idea Of the proper settings for oh
iccts of art is n comparatively recent de-
yelopmcnt Of museum administration. II
wns developed by Dr. Bodc. tn" director of
N'h.u the Kaiser Friedrich Museum was
huilt II was the first museum m the world
tn incorporate the idea "f showing things in
| their proper settings. and sine" that tim" It
hns sprend all over III" world in every mu-
scum Of the first class
Substitutes Sometimes U>ed
"Of course, it wns impossible always to
rct lust the settings which the mu-
! SSor,, uieccs demanded. For example. they
| ,Lo ulcccs which required It TO show them
! to tLc hest advantage, but in this case they
| hrilt something which looked like it, and
! Intnr. if the real thing cam" along, It could
| rIwnvs he substituted. Inr III" main idea
,rns 10 keep the pieces Of similar kind and
,nr,oI together. Thus the br"nzos were not
! +, IN. same wing but were placed with the
T,.c,n paintings, giving unity to both OK
! hbits.
.This idea was accepted nt once, in n
limited way. nll over Europe Ih" museum
n,"rotors recognized its value, but the mu-
,,o,,,',u there we're old and we'll established
! ;n"titutions. and It was difficult to make any
nJ,caI changes in the method Of admins
| taring them. But in the Western world
| ~, jIeo was accepted in its entirety as SOON
ne II became known. Our muFcums were
nower md II was therofor" custer to make
amch n change when the merit Of the new
roonner Of settings was made clear.
Museums Growing Rapidly Here
"'rhe American people do not seem to
uoooamize or appreciate tn" nation wide
| rrrnJ Of the museum ana what il means
-, NO. General public. The growth has been
!" I'' rS"nid and solid. Chicago, Toledo,
t"o"cIant and Detroit are som" Of tho cities
It',h nra doing conspicuous work in this
WV WV" Dr Paul ('ret Of this city, is making
Ii"., i".,or'crful museum for Detroit.
'And these Western cities are pouring
,oouny into their museum buildings and their
nnm,cnts. ','u Chicago, for example, bought two
,norh rooms this summer, and their OK
s'nr'Ie is being followed by other cities each
aacr TO have the best and intent upon get
,ino If no matter what II costs.
''''s ,.IIere in Philadelphia, W" cannot get IN,
,,,ry 10 acquire some Of the things which
imo" o need and should have. The pconIo oi
,ho rity must get back Of our museum II
,.o ,rc to hold our own with riti"S not onI,
| ~ our own size but with some much smalIer
prt H. which are formidable competitors for th,
t ~ treasures of the world.
"t..The public does not seem to undcrstan M