Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-08
Smithsonian BURSTING,
Has 500 Million Dream
BY JOHN w. STEPP

BY JOHN w. STEPP
Smithsonian Institution, the
Nations attic" has a formula
for becoming the scientific par
lor of the world.
Part of the markings are already
in hand: One of the biggest
and most varied museum collec-
tons ever accumulated any
where.
The rest is a simple ingredient
Snown as money-more than $10O
million of ito erect four new
buildings and add wings to an
existing structure within the next
seven years.
The problem of the 109-year-
old institution, in short, is get
ting the space to make available
to the public a vast collection
which, like an iceberg, is now 90
per cent out of sight.
Very Popular with Tourists
Overcrowding has been the
chief plague of this proud and
respected tourist attraction-the
third most popular in the Ma
TONS Capital since it's earliest
years.
AS far back as 1866, Smith
sonian officials were so space
conscious that they heaved a
sigh of relief when Congress per-
mitted the institution to deposit
10000 books in trust with the
Library of Congress. This pro-
Vlded more working and exhibit
space in the one building that
the Smithsonian had at that
time.
Despite the construction of
four additional main" buildings
and sundry sheds and shantles
since that time, Smithsonian's
accumulations have far exceeded
its capacity to house them prop
erly.
Packed to Its Rafters
This intervening construction
actually Is not as helpful as it
may sound. One building Is the
magnificent National Gallery of
Art donated by the late Andrew
Mellon and stocked exclusively
with objects of art. Another is
the Freer Gallery. an earlier
gift to the Nation by Charles
Lang Freer, also devoted entire
~ to the fine arts.
Only the remaining two struc-
lures were erected for general
museum purposes. One of these,
the monstrous red-brick Arts
and Industries Building, is IS
years old. 1t needs a new roof
the cost Of which would surpass
the original cost of the entire
building. 1t is literally packed
to its bare rafters, as Institution
Secretary Leonard Carmichael
recently pointed out.
Even more damned is the Nat
ural History Building, con-
structed as years ago-the latest
Smithsonian addition housing
general museum specimens.
A backdoor tour of Natural
History Building is a real eye
opener to Smithsonian's space
needs.
Pianos and Skulls
On an upper floor barred to
the public. an invaluable collec-
ton of pianos clogs the passage
way near stairwell. At one
spot a case filled with human
skulls adjoins a harpsichord.
In another backwaSh, a huge
assortment of Colonial house
furnishings and artifacts rests
in a clutter completely away
from public view.
Virtually every corridor in this
and the original Smiths ..ian
building-the red brick Struc-
ture with all the towers-is lined
With specimen cases half way to
the ceiling Scaling a ladder to
bring down, say. a dinosaur
thigh, offers a physical chal-
lenge that matches scientific
skill.
Obtaining some specimens for
the botany department involves
squeezing between high stacks
of cases in one of the tower
rooms and clambering down a
ladder into another pit-like
chamber This houses the bo-
tanical class called cryptic
grams-moss. etc. The door is
appropriately labeled Crypt
Just to the south of the tower
building is a cluster of Smith
Sonian "tempos" that make the
standard Government tempo"
look like the Tai Mahal.
Two Story "Eyesore"
The biggest of these, a sort Of
squared-off quonset hut of cor
rugated iron. is labeled Air
craft Building" Everyone calls
1t the shed" 1t is stuffed with
exhibits.
Nearby is a two-story frame
eyesore filled with ancient lathes
and other belt-driven equip
ment for manufacturing delicate
measuring instruments. Hang
ing from the rafters are some