KATIONAL MUSEUM BUILDINGS. 249 



ajre and b}" the fitting up of a few outside workrooms. Another factor 

 in this direction has lieen the construction of a nunibei' of galleries, 

 as explained below. 



Secretary Baird says, in his report for 1882, that — 



The Museum building was received from tlie hands of the architects in so complete 

 a state that but Httle remained to be done beyond the tinting of a portion of the 

 walls and the filling up of some of the alcoves with canvas frames, etc. There is 

 yet much to be done, however, in the construction of the necessary cases for the 

 accommodation of collections. 



The building of cases has, in fact, never ceased, for, while the more 

 urgent needs were early supplied, cases of one description or another 

 have been added from year to year. Many cases used at national 

 expositions have been returned in so defaced a condition that it has 

 been necessary to reject or rebuild them, and cases of new and im- 

 proved patterns have replaced many of the older ones. 



In 1883 Professor Baird remarks that the "building continues to 

 preserve the reputation it has acquired as representing the maximum 

 of convenience and adaptation to its purposes with the minimum of 

 original cost and expense for repairs;" and in 1885 he states that the 

 ''building is in excellent condition and has required comparative!}' 

 little in the way of repairs." 



After not many years, however, certain weak points began to 

 develop, and these have been the cause of nmch concern and have 

 necessitated almost continuous repairs, though seldom at great expense. 

 The w^alls are essentially substantial, but the roof was constructed at too 

 little cost and is far below the standard of the brickwork. Its weak- 

 ness and incompleteness is evident both in the supporting framework 

 and in the covering. The framework has given way in places under 

 heavy falls of snow, and the covering has developed numerous leaks, 

 most commonly about the breaks in the roof, but elsewhere as well, 

 and the constant attention of one mechanic has been insufficient to 

 keep these leaks under control. While it is intended soon to renew 

 the worst of this covering, it is now quite certain that a considerable 

 part of the roof must be Avholh^ rebuilt before many 3^ears. 



The leaks from the roof have so constantly defaced the inside walls 

 of the naves and courts that only recently has it been deemed advisa- 

 ble to repaint them, a work which was mainly accomplished during 

 1!»02 and 1!)08, and which has greatly improved the appearance of the 

 exhibition halls. 



The principal other changes in the interior of the building, in the 

 nature of permanent improvements, have been the replacement of the 

 wooden floors with cement, the building of galleries in nearly all 

 the halls, and the addition of some skylights. The first has improved 

 both the conditions and the ap})earance of the halls, and as the floors 

 were without proper foundation the foriner wooden covering was 



