AMERICAN HISTORY AND THE ARTS AND INDUSTRIES. 



From 1850 until 1881 the collections of the National Museum had 

 only the Smithsonian building as their depository, and in this struc- 

 ture they increased so greatly that all of the available space became 

 filled far beyond its capacity. In the year last named the adjoining 

 brick building was completed and made available for the overflow 

 and for the many large donations received at the Philadelphia Ex- 

 hibition of 1876. The growth of the collections continued rapidly, 

 however, and in not many years this additional space was also more 

 than occupied, becoming, in fact, so overcrowded that an orderly 

 arrangement ceased to be possible, and the exhibits of natural history, 

 of anthropology, of the arts and industries and of the fine arts were 

 more or less intermingled, unsystematically and with little regard 

 to relationship. The large granite building finished in 1911, or 30 

 years later, brought the relief so much desired and permitted an 

 organization which had long been looked forward to. This latest 

 building was planned and erected with special reference to the needs 

 of anthropology, biology and geology, composing what is known as 

 the natural history branch of the Museum. The removal of the col- 

 lections of these departments released about one-half of the exliibi- 

 tion space in the two older buildings, affording opportunity for re- 

 newing and increasing the art and industrial collections which at one 

 time had been very prominent, for improving the methods for their 

 administration and display, and for giA^ng them a status of practical 

 and educational usefulness. 



It is not to be understood, however, that the arts and industries 

 haA'e remained unrepresented, as several of the branches established 

 in 1881 have been continuously maintained, though under very un- 

 satisfactory conditions, and they Avill require revision and amplifica- 

 tion as well as a strengthening of the expert staff. Among these are 

 such important topics as mechanical technology, transportation, fire- 

 arms, medicine, the graphic arts, ceramics, glass and metal work, and 

 also American history, which was originally classified in this depart- 

 ment. The new subjects, or rather those to be reestablished and in 

 which considerable advancement has even now been made, comprise 

 mainly the great industries concerned with the utilization of mineral, 

 vegetable and animal products, the most significant of all to the wel- 

 fare of the human race, as they supply our food, our clothing and 

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