330 



KEPORl' OK NATIONAL MU^^ETTM, ]90.'3. 



assistant — in fact, there is too little 



.scientitic help for so great a 

 lULiseuni. It is under the 

 formal control of the regents 

 of the university of the State 

 of New York in Albany (see 

 under Albany). The work- 

 ing hours of the scientists 

 are from 1) or 10 a. m. to 5 

 p. m,; those of the other 

 employees, from T or 8 to 5. 

 For the increase of the col- 

 lections $95,000 is appropri- 

 ated annually, including the 

 ^ cost of expeditions. This 

 g sum is derived from private 

 ■S contributions, $18,500 of 

 m which is interest on a fund 

 >. thus established. 

 I Besides this, about 110,000 

 are received from member- 

 ship fees, and $1,400 from 

 admission fees. In 1899 the 

 trustees expended $75,000 to 

 make good a deficit caused 

 by purchases. The museum 

 is open daily from 9 to 5^' 

 (Monday and Tuesday on 

 payment of 25 cents entrance 

 fee), Sunday from 1 to 5, and 

 Tuesday and Saturday even- 

 ings from 8 to 10. Children 

 under 8 or 9 years are admit- 

 ted only when accompanied 

 by grown persons. In 1899 

 the visitors numbered over 

 458,000 persons.^ Umbrellas 

 and canes are checked free — 

 voluntary fees for this serv- 

 ice are not customary. In 

 1898, 71 public evening lec- 

 tures were given in a room 

 on the ground floor, which is 



«From such constant exposure to light, which, nevertheless, is usual in American 

 museums, many itortions of the collections rapidly go to ruin. 



''This number has probal)ly not int-reased after three years, for in 1902, 460,000 

 visitors were recorded; in 1900, 523,522; and in 1901, 461,026. 



