Tour the National Museum After the First Fifty Years

"The name National Museum, however, was rarely heard. Everything was addressed to the Smithsonian, and in popular parlance the collectors and naturalists were all 'Smithsonian men.' They went westward and northward and southward, and came back with car-loads of Indian relics and modern implements of savagery, skins, shells, insects, minerals, fossils, skeletons, alcoholic preparations, herbaria, and note-books,-the last crammed with novel information. It was natural, therefore, that the Smithsonian regents should be made custodians of the national collections, and that the appropriations annually made by Congress for the support of the museum should be administered by them. The Smithsonian itself, however, is supported by an endowment, much of which redounds to the advancement of the Museum."

Upon the death of Professor Henry, in 1877, the secretaryship of the Smithsonian and the direction of the National Museum passed to Professor Baird, who is now the honored head of these great institutions not only, but likewise of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, and of the Bureau of Ethnology, under the immediate charge of Major J. W. Powell, Chief of the United States Geological Survey.

Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading, Pa., February 3, 1823. His ancestry upon one side war, English, upon the other Scotch and German. Entering Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa., in 1836, he graduated at the age of 17. " After leaving college, his time for several years was devoted to studies in general natural history, to long pedestrian excursions for the purpose of observing animals and plants and collecting specimens, and to the organization of a private cabinet of natural history, which a few years later became the nucleus of the museum of the Smithsonian Institution." During this period he published several original papers on natural history, and studied medicine. In 1845 he was made professor of natural history in Dickinson College, and continued teaching there (meanwhile doing much special scientific investigation and writing) until 1850, when he became assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution at the age of 27.

His official work was constant and arduous, but did not prevent the publication of many original memoirs, especially upon birds, mammals and serpents. From 1870 to 1878 he was scientific editor of Harper's periodicals and of their Annual Record of Science and industry. In 1877, he was made United States Fish Commissioner, and in 1878, upon the death of Professor Joseph Henry, was elected to the secretaryship of the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to these prominent positions Professor Baird has filled many important trusts during the last forty years, and received many public honors, besides enjoying the friendship of the leaders in scientific thought and progress throughout the world.

The extent and wide variety of Professor Baird's contributions to science and scientific literature may best be understood by an examination of Goode's " Bibliography " The list of his writings up to 1882 contained 1,063 titles, 200 of which are formal contributions to scientific literature. The remainder, official reports, book reviews, editorial notices, etc., in most cases contain important original mater. He has described over 360 " new " species in the American fauna, For all this, since 1850, time has found in the midst of the exacting labors of the Smithsonian with its army of dependents, and in the building up of the National Museum. This control and influence has always been so even and kind and instinct with enthusiasm as to ensure to Professor Baird not only the respect of the world outside, but the warm and affectionate loyalty of all the men personally associated with him.

Professor Baird applied himself with great energy to pushing forward the Museum, laying down comprehensive lines for its growth. A few years later the general supervision was given to Mr. G. Brown Goode, under the title of Assistant Director, who has since added greatly to his reputation by the successful manner in which he has caused the United States government to be represented at the fisheries exhibitions of Berlin and London and at the expositions in Louisville, Cincinnati, Atlanta and New Orleans, on each of which occasions he was the modest recipient of many honors.

" In the Centennial Exhibition came opportunity of its directors," quoting The Century again; " and from the government exhibit which everybody admired at Philadelphia, dates the real starting-point, except in zoology, The creditable showing made there, and clever persuasion on the part of its officers, secured to our collections the gift of nearly all the government exhibits of other countries, and gave Us an enormous mass of novel and most precious objects, representing resources and humanity 'from China to Peru.' The work of the United States Fish Commission (greatly stimulated at this time) also produced large accessions, until the previously uneven zoological collection became balanced.

" 'There have been three periods in the history of the Museum,' said an officer of the Museum to me. 'At first it was a cabinet of the results of research When in 1857, the Smithsonian assumed its custody, it became also a museum of records. Since 1876 the idea of public education has been predominant.'

" But in the third,' I observed, 'the two earlier notions cannot be abandoned I Not at all. The three ideas are mutually helpful and essential to the philosophic development of any broadly organized museum Materials are gathered that they may serve as a basis for scientific thought. Objects that have fulfilled this purpose or have acquired historical significance are treasured up against destruction as permanent records of the progress of the world in thought, in culture, and in industrial achievement, and constitute most valuable materials for future study. But if no other problems than research and record are sought, a museum might well be stored away accessible only to special students. A higher purpose calls for the administration of these objects in such a manner that masses of people instead of a few should be profited by their existence. We have no place in this age for the treasure-houses of the Eastern kings locked to all eyes but those of the court. Now, one of the results of the Philadelphia exhibition was that it made plain to the people how inspiring and instructive a great industrial museum could be, under proper classifications and with assistance in the way of fully explanatory labels. The naturalists have long understood the value of comprehensive collections in zoology, but heretofore the wider application has not been well enforced.'

"Such, briefly, is the idea I gathered of this Museum's high aim. Let us now see how it is to be carried out. The immense influx of specimens of our natural resources sent by the wagon load from territorial surveys, and derived from the Centennial Exhibition, speedily amounted to such bulk that no room existed for even its storage."

Congress therefore appropriated $250,000 (and subsequently more) to erect a fire-proof building, which was nearly enough completed in the spring of 1881 to serve as the ball-room at the inauguration of President Garfield. This building stands with its north-western corner almost touching the old Smithsonian, but is as different from that as a terrapin from a woodcock. The Norman architecture in brown stone of the older structure is strongly contrasted in the low, tent-like expanse of red blue, and cream-colored bricks, white stone, and glass of its new neighbor. The spacious halls are floored with vari-colored marble and slate, are divided only by lines of arches and low partitions of glass cases, and are open above to the iron-work of the lofty roof. All is light, airy, and graceful. The illumination is perfect; likewise the ventilation, The fact that everything is on one level aids the pleasing arrangement of objects (though here I am aware of an opposite opinion) and relieves the visitor of much weariness finally, room remains in the corners for office, laboratories, and storage, of great extent in the aggregate, without wasting space or disturbing the artistic effect of the whole grouping.

"The ground plan is a Greek cross, having in the center a rotunda. This 'rotunda' is octagonal on the ground, but is surmounted by a sixteen-sided polygon, which contains a tier of stained windows, and constitutes a comical structure with a slate roof and a lantern crowned by a decorative finial. It is 108 feet from the gold-fish in the fountain-basin to the apex of this dome. The four main halls or 'naves' about the rotunda each 101 feet in length and 62 feet wide. Occupying the exterior angles are four rooms 65 feet square, called 'courts,' of the same height as the naves and outside of these naves and courts are a series of eight exhibition rooms under lean-to metal roofs, known as 'ranges,' whose outer walls form the exterior of the building, and are lighted by very large, round-topped windows, which ultimately will be filled with photographic transparencies of American scenery, antiquities, and so forth. By this treatment wall spaces are obtained for the introduction of clear-story windows, which light the square courts and assist in lighting the naves. The building is thus filled up from the Greek cross into a complete square, the exterior walls of which are 37s feet in length. The symmetrical exterior is broken by ornamental and projecting entrances in each facade, and at the corners, where 'pavilions' rise to a less height than the towers, yet sufficient to counteract the otherwise bad effect of the long, low, outside walls."

" I have been full in. my account of these architectural matters because this building was a novelty museum buildings, and is proving satisfactory as to interior arrangements. . . . The question of glass cases and the proper exhibition of specimens has been a problem that curators have struggled with for many years, and our Museum, profiting by the experience of the world, thinks it has solved it, well enough, at least. Its cases are all of mahogany (ebonized and painted woods having been rejected), framed as slightly as safety will permit, and finished by oil-rubbing, which will darken with time into the finest hue of old wood; the style of ornamentation is a simply carved form of English Gothic. They stand upon solid bases, but are not fastened to the floor, walls, or anything else, except in a very few instances where they are put together with bolts so as readily to be taken apart. . . . Except the solid base and frames, they are wholly of plate-glass, and are easily movable with the help of one of the queer little trucks contrived for the purpose furthermore, their parts are all interchangeable with the panels, boxes, drawers, etc., of other cases, since everything is reduced to a standard size or its multiple. No finer example of these largest cases could be found than that which contains the boat-models; and it is conceded that in this important particular of museum furniture Europe can show nothing equal to ours.

"The doors of all cases are made to shut with dust-proof and insect-defying precision; and a modification of the Yale lock operates bolts at top and bottom simultaneously with the middle catch, while no unsightly projection mars the outside of the door, the strong pass-key serving as a handle when inserted. Each permanent case, furthermore, is connected with the Superintendent's office by an electric alarm. Every entrance and window in the whole great building is similarly guarded, the wires running in trenches beneath the floor, and forming part of an electric system, which includes the Museum, the Smithsonian, the Fish Hatchery, and various other allied institutions, in an elaborate private telephone and alarm circuit."

As I have remarked, the Museum is built up on a philosophic classification, intended to embrace the whole universe, and minute enough to find a legitimate place for every object. The present Handbook, however, can take notice of, and arrange in convenient order, only what is actually an exhibition, taking no account in the ensuing scheme of any departments not yet shown.

The material universe may be divided into two great groups of

• Those without life.-INORGANIC.
• Those with life. -ORGANIC,

The latter is dependent on the former for sustenance,-air to breathe, food to supply waste of tissue, standing-room. There is throughout nature a steady progression in history and in structure from the simple to the complex, from general to particular. The wisest man is the one who can make the most numerous and the sharpest distinctions which are real. This wisdom is originally acquired, however, and must be apprehended by others, through beginning with broad and simple facts and working by comparison and contrast to smaller and more specialized groups or objects.

To understand a great collection of objects, vastly various in origin, date, form and function, one must proceed systematically; and, on the principle just enunciated, he will receive the most profit from beginning with the broadest and simplest things.

Regarding the Earth (including its atmosphere) as a whole,-the substance, record or abode of everything known to the senses,-the basis of study should be its structure-GEOLOGY.

Proceeding to an examination of its components, Mineralogy and Chemistry will follow. The utilization of these inorganic materials gives us Economic GEOLOGY and METALLURGY.

The Products of the Earth will next claim attention: First PLANTS, because earliest and simplest; then ANIMALS in the order of their historical succession and complexity of structure,-first Invertebrates, then Vertebrates.

Finally MAN, the supreme outcome of life; will be taken up and shown,-how he maintains existence, resists adversities and enemies, holds relations with his fellows and cultivates his mind.

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