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THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



PROFESSOR G. BROWN GOODE in his history 

 of the Genesis of the National Museum 1 states 

 that Professor Henry in his report of March i, 1856, 

 expressed the hope that Congress would ultimately relieve 

 the Smithsonian Institution from the burden, laid upon 

 it by law, of maintaining a Museum; and would appro- 

 priate its building for a National Museum. Correspond- 

 ence printed in the earlier part of this volume indicates 

 clearly that the establishment of a real National Museum 

 was the aim and ambition of Professor Baird. In 1859 

 an unofficial guide book, privately printed for the use 

 of visitors by an employe of the Institution, was issued 

 with the title "Guide to the Smithsonian Institution 

 and National Museum" on its cover; and about this 

 time the words "National Museum of the United States' 1 

 were painted over the door of the Exhibition Hall. But 

 legal sanction for the use of this name was given by Con- 

 gress only after the elapse of nearly twenty years. In 

 1874 Congress inserted in the Legislative, Executive and 

 Judicial Appropriation bill for 1875 the following item: 

 "For official postage stamps for the National Museum 

 in the Smithsonian Institution, $1000.00." 



This appears to be the first legislative recognition by 

 name of the Museum for which for many years the Con- 

 gress had appropriated small sums of money under the 



1 Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1891, pp. 274 to 380, 

 Washington, 1893; cf. p. 341. 



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