196 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



A GREAT MARINE MUSEUM 



By Professor CHARLES ATWOOD KOFOID 



UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 



A LOGICAL and characteristic expression of the national spirit of 

 modern Germany is to be found in the Institut fiir Meereskunde 

 which was established in 1900 in connection with the Konigliche Fried- 

 rich- Wilhelms Universitat at Berlin. The rise of Germany as a mari- 

 time power has found popular demonstration in the Marine Exposi- 

 tions at Berlin in the winter of 1897-1898 and again in the summer of 

 1908. The first exposition led to the beginning of a permanent marine 

 museum and the second contributed greatly to its expansion. In 1898 

 the German Naval Bureau together with the Prussian Cultus Minis- 

 terium undertook the establishment of an oceanographical institute in 

 conjunction with some Prussian university, plans for which were drawn 

 up by Professors E. v. Drygalski and E. v. Halle with the later assist- 

 ance of Freiherr v. Richthofen. The enterprise had from the begin- 

 ning the deep personal interest and cooperation of the German Em- 

 peror. It finally took the form of the Institut fiir Meereskunde of 

 which Professor Albrecht Penck is director. 



In 1906 the Museum fiir Meereskunde connected with the Institut 

 fiir Meereskunde was opened in the building on Georgenstrasse, for- 

 merly occupied by the chemical laboratory of the university. The pur- 

 pose of the museum has been stated by its director to be " to inspire 

 and to diffuse far and wide in the German nation by means of its ex- 

 hibits a conception and understanding of the sea and its phenomena, 

 the means employed in its exploration, the wealth of its life, and its 

 economic value, as well as the social and national significance of navi- 

 gation, marine commerce and sea power." " Deutschland zur See " is 

 its motto ! 



This end has been sought by the almost lavish installation of ex- 

 hibits which reveal everywhere the combination of technical skill and 

 broad scientific knowledge and direction, together with a remarkable 

 freedom from conventional methods in design and execution of the 

 displays. 



The exhibits are found on the two lower floors of the building and 

 offices, library and laboratories are on the third floor. The whole of 

 the first floor and part of the basement are given up to a most varied 

 and elaborate display of the German naval and marine interests along 

 historical, structural and mechanical lines. The second floor contains 



