ANTIQUITIES AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS IN DENMARK. 301 



national collections becomes more and more popular. To the museum 

 are annexed the public archives, which contain, besides an archaeolog- 

 ical and topographical library, designs, and descriptions of remarkable 

 finds, as well as of monuments scattered over the country. 



It was found necessary to interest the people in the progress of the 

 museum, and to evoke and foster this interest the directors adopted the 

 following means: 



1. To admit the public at all times to visit the collections, and to ex- 

 plain the objects to visitors. Later, when the accessions to the museum 

 and the number of visitors no longer permitted giving oral instruction 

 to all, the directors published guide-books in several languages. 



2. To publish iu the journals the list of objects sent or given. 



3. To publish popular treatises upon the antiquities and their signifi- 

 cation, a task in which the museum has been ably seconded by the 

 Society of Northern Antiquaries. 



4. To hold popular conferences at Copenhagen and elsewhere. 



5. To form small collections — especially for the instruction of youth — 

 in the provinces, the principal cities, in scientific schools, high schools, 

 and normal schools. 



C. To interest in the work the priests, instructors, and eminent citizens, 

 who have influence with the people, and wiio will oversee their labors. 



7. To distribute money, books, and other presents to those who dis- 

 tinguish themselves by their zeal and care in collecting and preserving 

 antiquities. 



As the fruit of these measures, it rarely happens that important 

 treasures when found do not come promptly to the knowledge of the 

 museum: the objects are ordinarily forwarded at once. The small 

 public collections of the provinces, which have a superintendence inde- 

 pendent of the state, have adopted the plan of offering to the central 

 museum at Copenhagen such objects as are especially interesting and 

 instructive, and of demanding in exchange duplicates of more common 

 specimens. Uy reason of a strong national sentiment, the people make 

 it a point of honor to collect material for the history of prehistoric 

 times, so that it is no longer necessary to prohibit the exportation of 

 relics of stone, bronze, ami iron.' The museum has fostered the spirit of 

 spon taneousness, and, instead of discouraging, has favored the formation 

 of private collections. Experience has shown that this is the proper 

 way to save from destruction many objects which otherwise would have 

 been lost, the private collections sooner or later becoming incorporated 

 into the National Museum. 



As to the plan of the museum and its interior arrangement, the de- 

 tails are amply set forth in the printed descriptions.* it should be 



* Mused I'm- de Nordiske Oldsager, en kort Ledetraad I'm- de Bes0gende. l'2mo. 

 Copenhagen, (itli edition, 1874, — Guide Illustr^ du Music dea Antiquite's du Nord a 

 Copeuhague. 8vo. 3d edil ion, 1868, — Das Museum fur nordische Alterthiimer. -\ o. 

 Copenhagen. 2d edition, le>7G. All by M. C. Engelhardt. 



