276 Institutes, Museums, Libraries 



This museum contains a large number of scientific and medical instruments, 

 memorials and manuscripts which illustrate the development of Dutch science from 

 the seventeenth century on. A section is devoted to Christian Huygens. Dr. 

 Crommelin has published recently a catalogue of the Huygens collection (32 p., 

 4 pi., Leiden 1949). Maria Rooseboom: The National Museum of the history of 

 science (Archives intern, d'hist. des sci. 29, 129-35, ill., 1950). 



In addition to its publications it has for sale a large number of photographs repre- 

 senting objects on exhibition, portraits, autographs, etc. Typewritten list (May 

 1949). 



Instituut voor geschiedenis der geneeskunde, wiskuhde en natuurwetenschappen 



(Institute for the history of medicine, mathematics, and natural sciences ) : 

 This institute was established in 1913; it is attached to the University of Leiden, 

 to the Museum described above and to the Dutch society for the history of science. 

 A special committee is in charge of contacts with the University. The library was 

 established in 1928, and a collection of medals (Scientia medica et naturalis in 

 nummis ) in 1942. The institute is located in the Museum. Its proceedings appear 

 in the Bijdragen voor de geschiedenis der geneeskunde. 



D. Burger: Gedenboek by het 35-jarig bestaan van het Genootschap (Amster- 

 dam 1949); Institut d'histoire de la medecine, des mathematiques et des sciences 

 (Archives 1, 513-16, 1948). 



— The Haglte — 



Het Nederlandse Postmuseum ( Netherlandish Postal Museum ) : 



Postal museum including not only post stamps but a number of objects illus- 

 trating every aspect of postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications. Its in- 

 ception goes back to 1924, but its development was stopped by the war. The 

 director. Dr. R. E. J. Weber, described its purpose and realization in a Dutch 

 brochure Karakter en ontwikkeling van het Nederlandse Postmuseum, reprinted from 

 Het PTT-bedrijf (Jaargang 1, no. 2, p. 60-68), not dated but Dr. Weber's covering 

 letter was dated June 1950. 



NORWAY 



Norway's main contribution was the invention of "open-air museums" which 

 have developed considerably in Scandinavia. These collections of old buildings 

 (churches, public and private houses) are very important for the study of archi- 

 tecture and folkarts; they always include exhibits illustrating the history, if not of 

 science, at least of agriculture and technology. 



One of the first "open-air museums" was created at Maihaugen, Lillehammer, by 

 Anders Sandvig (1862-1950). It contains over 100 buildings. 



Dr. Jean Anker, Editor of Centaurus, in a letter dated Copenhagen 3 Oct. 1950, has kindly 

 added the following correction: — 



"It is not quite right to say that Anders Sandvig was the pioneer of the 'open-air' museum, 

 although he was one of the pioneers for the idea in Scandinavia. 



"The idea on which the open-air museum is based, viz., an endeavour to preserve historical 

 buildings by moving them to an undisturbed place, can undoubtedly be traced far back. Thus in 

 the 16th century the Danish King Frederik II had a log house moved from Halland (a part 

 of South Sweden, at that time belonging to Denmark) to Zealand; in 1528 Francois I is said to 

 have moved a dwelling-house from Morel near Fontainebleau to Cours-la-Reine near Paris, etc. 

 In 1844 Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia moved Vang's old 'stave-kirk' from Telemarken in 

 Norway to Briickenberg in Riesengebirge ( Silesia ) , where I have seen it myself. 



"World exhibitions have also contributed to the furtherance of this idea, e.g., when the Crystal 

 Palace of the first exhibition in London in 1851, in 1854, after having been moved to Sydenham, 

 was reopened with a number of courts containing reproductions in reduced size of the prominent 

 buildings of the civilized world. 



"The idea proper of real 'open-air museums' (park museums) originates from Scandinavia, 

 however, and Norway seems to have shown the way, while to Sweden belongs the honour of having 

 created the first real collections in this form. 



"This much, however, can be stated that already in 1881 Gol's old 'stave-kirk' together with 

 another building from Telemarken was moved to Bygdo near Oslo, and at the same place the 

 Norwegian Popular Museum (Norske Folkemuseum ) in 1898 acquired a large area for an open- 

 air museum, which in 1907 was united with the above-mentioned and other buildings. 



"It was probably the Bygdo Museum you have seen on your visit to Norway, that is if it was 



