Report of a Journey Around the World. 107 



Much has been written about this beautiful museum, and one 

 need not here attempt to go very fully into its history, which is 

 perhaps known to every museum curator who will read this report; 

 but for the benefit of the few others into whose hands this account 

 may come the following extract from the account of Dr. J. Richard 

 in his Notice provisoire some notes of the foundation may be given. 



April 25, 1899, under the patronage of H. M. the Emperor of 

 Germany, the corner stone was laid. Those who have seen the 

 limited space unoccupied in Monaco will appreciate the difficulty 

 of finding a site for any large building that should be sufficient in 

 size and convenient of access, for "the first idea of the Prince was 

 to found an establishment to contain and utilize the collections, 

 more especially zoological, the fruit of his scientific expeditions 

 since 1885 in the Mirondelle and the Princesse- Alice. But in course 

 of time a broader idea came to the Prince, explained by the title 

 MusSe oceanographiquc . That is to say, that the new museum 

 should not merely be a home for the collections and instrumenta- 

 tion of the Prince, but should provide for housing everything 

 which in a general way, is connected with oceanography." ' 



The illustration (Fig. 93) will show the fine facade rising from 

 the normal level of the cliff abutting on the sea, while on the water 

 side the substructure goes down in the middle two stories to nearly 

 the sea level. The emplacement was a triumph of the distinguished 

 architect M. Delefortrie. The central hall, from which open on 

 either side exhibition rooms, is shown in Fig. 94. The dimen- 

 sions of the building are as follows: the central portion is 20 m. 

 square, and from this on either side extend wings 40 m. long and 

 15 m. wide ; the monolith columns decorating the first story are 8 m. 

 high and weigh 16,000 kilo.; those supporting the front pediment 

 are i2 m 70 high. The motifs de decoration are animals of the deep 

 sea {Geryon, Polycheles, Orophorhynchus, fishes, etc.), especially 

 around the entrance on the avenue St. Martin, while on the summit 

 are an albatross and eagle of gigantic size. On either side of the 

 central front window are allegoric groups from the chisel of the 



1 It may be noted that the Prince also founded in Paris an institution 

 for the study of oceanography, well endowed and provided with learned 

 teachers, and distinguished trustees. Also while in Paris I learned that the 

 Marquise Arconati-Yisconti had given the University of Paris ^"20,000 with 

 which to found an institution of geography, and this is to be adjoining the 

 former institute. [ 2 55] 



