SECRETARY'S REPORT 179 



ACQUISITIONS COMMITTEE 



Ferdinand Lammot Belin, Chairman. Paul Mellon. 

 Duncan Phillips. David EL Finley. 



Chester Dale. 



PERSONNEL 



On June 30, 1956, full-time Government employees on the staff of 

 the National Gallery of Art numbered 312, as compared with 301 

 employees as of June 30, 1955. The United States Civil Service 

 Regulations govern the appointment of employees paid from appro- 

 priated public funds. 



APPROPRIATIONS 



For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1956, the Congress of the United 

 States appropriated for the National Gallery of Art $1,436,000, to be 

 used for salaries and expenses in the operation and upkeep of the 

 Gallery, the protection and care of works of art acquired by the Board 

 of Trustees, and all administrative expenses incident thereto, as author- 

 ized by Joint Resolution of Congress approved March 24, 1937 (20 

 U. S. C. 71-75 ; 50 Stat. 51) . The following obligations were incurred : 



Personal services (including $409,143 for guard protection) $1, 265, 700. 00 



Other than personal services 170, 268. 65 



Unobligated balance 31. 35 



Total $1, 436, 000. 00 



ATTENDANCE 



There were 1,013,246 visitors to the Gallery during the fiscal year 

 1956 — an increase of 198,314 over the attendance for the fiscal year 

 1955. The average daily number of visitors was 2,791. 



FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 



March 17, 1956, was the fifteenth anniversary of the opening of the 

 National Gallery of Art. On that date a special night opening was 

 held from 9 : 00 p. m. until midnight. As part of the celebration a 

 special exhibition was arranged of important paintings and sculpture 

 acquired in the last five years by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. 

 The Samuel H. Kress Collection of Renaissance Bronzes, installed in 

 three specially prepared rooms, was also opened to the public. The 

 number of guests attending the special evening exhibition was 11,690. 



ACCESSIONS 



There were 477 accessions by the National Gallery of Art as gifts, 

 loans, or deposits during the fiscal year 1956. 



