REPORT ON THE PROGRESS AND CONDITION OF 



THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR 



THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1913. 



By Richard Rathbun, 



Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 in charge of the U. S. National Museum. 



INCEPTION AND HISTORY. 



The Congress of the United States in the act of August 10, 1846, 

 founding the Smithsonian Institution recognized that an opportunity 

 was afforded, in carrying out the large-muaded design of Smithson, to 

 provide for the custody of the museum of the Nation. To this new 

 establishment was therefore intrusted the car^of the national collec- 

 tions, a course that time has fuUy justified. 



In the begumuig the cost of maiatainiag the museum side of the 

 Institution's work was wholly paid from the Smithsonian income; 

 then for a time the Government bore a share, and during the past 37 

 years Congress has voted the entire funds for the expenses of the 

 Museum, thus furthering one of the primary means ''for the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge among men" without encroaching upon 

 the resources of the Institution. 



The museum idea was inherent in the establishment of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, which in its turn was based upon a 10 years' 

 discussion in Congress and the advice of the most distinguished 

 scientific men, educators, and intellectual leaders of the Nation of 70 

 years ago. It is interesting to note how broad and comprehensive 

 were the views which actuated our lawmakers in determining the 

 scope of the Museum, a fact especially remarkable when it is recalled 

 that at that date no museum of considerable size existed m. the United 

 States, and the museums of England and of the continent of Europe 

 were still to a large extent without a developed plan, although con- 

 taining many rich collections. 



^ The Congress which passed the act of foundation enimierated as 



"Tf within the scope of the Museum "all objects of art and of foreign 



c and curious research and all objects of natural history, plants, and 



geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United 



