REPORT OF XATIOXiU^ MUSEUM, 1D20. 141 



have been man}', it is conceded tliat the important steps in the de- 

 velopment of the art to its present state of reiinements, Avere made 

 tlirough the efforts of about twenty of them. It is the work of these 

 men which will be represented in the series beginnino- Avith Leonardo 

 da Vinci in the 15th century and ending- with Martin. Upon com- 

 pletion of this series, a second will be constructed illustrating all of 

 the modern types of machines. 



The collections of the diA'ision relate primarily to engineering, 

 particularly mechanical, electrical, civil, and marine engineering, and 

 back of all the proposed plans is the idea of building upon this 

 foundation a true Museum of Engineering. 



Museums tlevoted to history, art, and the natural sciences are estab- 

 lished in all of the larger nations of the Avorid and manj?^ of them 

 have established, in addition, educational museums of engineering 

 and industries. Thus,, England has her South Kensington Museum ; 

 France her ConserA^atoire des Arts et ^Metiers; and Germany her 

 Deutsches Museum, but noAvhere in tliis nation of ours, the most 

 adA'anced in the application of the engineering and mechanical 

 nrts, is there a similar institution. The commanding place in the 

 Avorld Avhich the United States has reached in the short space of 

 seventy-fiAe years is due largely to the full development and utiliza- 

 tion of mechanical poAver in the exploitation of her natural resources. 

 It is this that has made it possible for the people of the United 

 States to enjoy a standard of liAang far and above that under wdiich 

 the peoples of the rest of the world exist and still no public sign of 

 appreciation either national or otherAvise is to l)e found anywhere. 

 AVliat more suitable monument could there be, therefore, than a 

 Mu-seum of ^Engineering, and Avhere could there be found a more 

 logical place for it than as a part of the great National ^Museum ? 



