252 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1903. 



in this country and few, if any, abroad. The critics have simply con- 

 founded cheapness and crudeness with inadaptation to purpose. It is 

 a square Imikling of a single story, consisting of four large naves 

 and a central rotunda in the shape of a Greek cross, with ranges and 

 covered courts filling in the corners, so as to produce a solid or 

 continuous structure every part of which, under the original plan, 

 was well lighted. The ranges have large windows, and the naves and 

 courts both skylights and clerestory' windows. It is the plan so often 

 adopted for exposition buildings, and also at times for permanent 

 structures, and is especially convenient to the visitor, in that he has 

 no stairs to climb. There has at no time in the past been any difficulty 

 in so installing the display collections that they could be distinctly 

 seen and the labels read. Within a few years, however, galleries have 

 been built in nearly all the halls, as it was necessary to increase the 

 amount of space. The height of the halls has permitted this to be 

 done without injury to the general effect, but to some extent the light- 

 ing has been interfered with, though not so much but that it can be 

 remedied. 



This building was planned, as above stated, essentiall}^ for exhibi- 

 tion purposes. The space available for laboratories and storage 

 quarters, however, is wholly inadequate, though convenient and well 

 lighted. This may be considered as one of the main defects of the 

 interior, as it is the one most noticeable to the specialist who wants 

 working room, and seldom refers to the exhibition series. A remed}' 

 for this condition, I'ecommended and urged upon Congress by Pro- 

 fessor Baird, was the erection of a smaller fireproof building nearby, 

 entirel}'^ for laborator}" and storage needs, and especiall}" for the safe- 

 guarding of the alcoholic collections. His ideas were never carried 

 out, but it is hoped that in the new building all of these requirements 

 will be provided. 



The building has, moreover, served an excellent purpose as an 

 object lesson, since the experience gained in its construction and fur- 

 nishing, and in the installation of its collections, has been invaluable 

 in the preparations for the newer structure. It will undoubtedly con- 

 tinue to l)e occupied for many years to come, and its complete repair 

 will prol)abl3' be undertaken as soon as the new 1)uilding is finished. 



The l)nilding under description stands on the southeast corner of the 

 reservation granted to the Smithsonian Institution b}' the fundamental 

 act of 1846, and, in fact, overreaches its eastern boundary to about 

 the extent of the width of Ninth street SW. Its north or front face is 

 about on a line with the south face of the Smithsonian building, from 

 which its nearest corner is distant about 50 feet, while its rear face 

 adjoins the sidewalk on B street south. 



The main part of the building is about 300 feet square and one stor}^ 

 high throughout, though of very different elevations. In the center 



