432 



RKPORT OF NATIONAL MTTSEUM, litO.'J. 



\\\\\ irttract much attention from tliose interested in museums. Tlieri' are many 

 museums wliicli ajjpear to have been erected on the theory that they were simply 

 storage wareliouses for the safe-keeping of specdmens. This Iniilding is designed on 

 the theory that a museum is a plaee for the effective display of specimens; in which 

 case it is important to bear in mind that bare white walls and mean architectural 

 surroundings will belittle the value of whatever is contained therein; while a rich 

 architei'tural setting w'ill give to the public a true impression of the value of the col- 

 lections displayed for their benefit. " 



The plan of this tinishod wini( is one of the best that I ever liave 

 seen in a museum, and it is to be regretted that only such a small part 

 of the whole could be executed. The construction was developed from 

 within, since the most perfect use of space was based upon those 

 dimensions of the cases and the space between them that are con- 

 sidered the very best, and not until then were the interior and exterior 

 architecture fitted to these demands. Therefore, as can be seen in 



the plans of the first floor 

 and part of the second or 

 gallery floor, figs. 40,41 , the 

 cases all around stand ex- 

 actly between the columns 

 and th(^ piers between the 

 window^s, and they all re- 

 ceive their light from the 

 side except two of them, 

 that could just as well have 

 l)een placed in some other 

 position. This is, 1 l)elieve, 

 the most correct principle, but the dimensions, without exception, 

 have all been made too small; from this fact, besides some others, the 

 people crowd too nuich in the spaces between the cases. But this only 

 happened because the means were so limited that the architects were 

 compelled to use minimum measures. Otherwise they would have 

 l)uilt on })roader ])lans. 

 The building has the following horizontal divisions (fig. 42): 

 1. A high basement for la})oratory work, packing, heating, store- 

 rooms, etc.. and a dark chamber, partly cemented and furnished most 

 practically. 



«Mr. Patton (juite recently, 1903, wrote me in respei't to these remarks: 

 It is a matter of no small satisfaction that my prophecy should come true only 

 ten years later, and that your description would recognize the scientific method 

 which had been applied to the planning of this building. I realize that the dimen- 

 sions are all minimum, and should be increased, if possible, for any i)uilding likely 

 to have such large crowds as visit this building, but when visiting New York City I 

 was struck with the enormous waste of floor area from the lack of attention given to 

 the spacing of the windows, so that comparatively few exhibits could be i)laced in a 

 given space, and my object was to give the maximum capacity consistent with proper 

 lighting and access. 



Fk;. ^0. — Chicago Academy of Sciences, 

 floor. 



Plan of first 



