14 EEPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM^ 1915. 



duced that were not recognized in the classification of 1881, or to some 

 extent represented in the public displays of 25 to 30 years ago. Most 

 prominent and most popular is the historical collection to which 

 access is first gained from the main entrance. The memorial section, 

 which occupies two halls, has been steadily increasing in importance 

 and comprehensiveness for a long period. A recent addition has been 

 a section of historical costumes, and also now for the first time have 

 the extensive series of coins, medals and postal tokens been fully 

 installed. 



While consisting mainly of loans, the exquisite assemblage of laces 

 and other art textiles has come to be regarded as a permanent feature, 

 and, in fact, it contains possessions of the Museum, especially in laces, 

 of considerable variety and value. In what is called the ceramic 

 gallery is displayed a large quantity of pottery, together with glass- 

 ware, ivories, bronzes, lacquers, etc., which, while unworthy as a 

 whole for a national museum, comprises some choice pieces and in 

 some directions is comprehensive though not wholly representative. 

 Adjoining is the exhibition of medicines, magic, psychic, and abo- 

 riginal, as well as those recognized in modern pharmacology, form- 

 ing an interesting object lesson for the public, though more impor- 

 tant is the reserve collection of thoroughly identified drugs and drug 

 plants of the world. Also installed in this building is the general 

 and varied collection of musical instruments, and the unrivaled rep- 

 resentation of the history of photography, in which the appliances 

 and results of all periods are fully and well shown. Close by is 

 another collection which is probably unsurpassed in this country — a 

 remarkably rich assemblage of the objects of religious ceremonial, 

 of wide range in its illustration and of great educational value. 



"\^T^ien, in the temporary dismantlement of many of the industrial 

 branches over 20 years ago, it became necessary to place vast quan- 

 tities of material in storage, certain classes of objects were allowed 

 to remain, being administered under the head of mechanical tech- 

 nologj^ The collections of this division have grown to a remarkable 

 extent, and in some directions with such systematic eifort as to 

 result in historical series of inestimable importance. In other direc- 

 tions, however, through lack of means, it has been impossible to make 

 any appreciable advancement, and for the same reasons and because 

 of inadequate space it has been equally impossible to display or other- 

 wise utilize all of this rather heterogeneous combination to the fullest 

 advantage of the public. In electricity there is a very extensive 

 representation of the history of the telegraph, including the oceanic 

 cables, of the telephone, of the phonograph, etc., including hundreds 

 of pieces of original experimental apparatus and of appliances that 

 were actually employed at the very beginnings and at subsequent 

 periods of these several lines of notable achievement. In small fire- 



