THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM: 



AN ACCOUNT OE THE BUILDINGS OCCUPIED BY THE 



NATIONAL COLLECTIONS. 



By Richard Rathbun, 

 Assistant Secretary of the Sialthsonian Institution, in charge of the U. S. National Museum. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The object of this paper is to In-iefly describe the history and 

 character of the several building's in which the science and art collec- 

 tions belonging- to this Government have })een housed and cared for, 

 the time for such an account seeming especiall}" opportune, in view of 

 the recent beginnings of an additional, larger, and more elaborate 

 structure to meet th(^ demands for increased space. No attempt is 

 made to contrast the present accommodations with those provided 

 elsewhere for a like purpose, only such criticisms l)eino- offered as 

 are directl}^ suggested by the buildings themselves. 



The scope of the U. S. National Museum, as defined by acts of 

 Congress, is exceedingly broad, including, besides natui'al historj^ 

 geology, archtiDology and ethnology, the various arts and industries of 

 man. Its development, resulting largely from Government explora- 

 tions, has been greatest in the four subjects first mentioned. The 

 collections illustrating the industrial arts, though now mainly in 

 storage, are nearly as extensive in the amount of exhibition space 

 required, and they can be rapidly enlarged and perfected as soon as 

 a place is found for them. 



Since the seventh decade of the last century the Museum has been 

 continuously in a state of congestion, and with ever increasing- acces- 

 sions, it earl\' )>ecame necessary to resort to outside storage, in which 

 the amount of material is now extremely large. The demand for 

 additional room, therefore, dates back over twenty years, being based 

 partly on the need of placing these valuable collections under safe 

 conditions and partly on the important requirement of bringing them 

 into service by classification and arrangement. Last j^ear an impor- 

 tant step in this direction was realized — the passage of an act of Con- 

 gress under which a more commodious and worthy building- will 



speedily be secured. 



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