42 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



the collection of the National Gallery; 16 visits were made to private 

 collections bj' various members of the staff in connection with offers 

 of gift or loan ; expert opinion on 61 works of art was given verbally 

 to various members of the public; and 101 letters were written to 

 persons asking for historical data or other information regarding 

 works of art in their possession. 



The curatorial staff also supervised the arrangement of temporary 

 exhibitions held by the Gallery and assisted in the work of the 

 Educational Department. 



EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 



The docent staff has been organized so that there are at least two 

 public gallery tours every day and two auditorium lectures every 

 week. This program of instruction for the public has been found 

 to meet a definite need. During the period from March 18 to June 

 30, 1941, 11,324 persons came to the Gallery as members of special 

 groups or organizations desiring special guidance by members of 

 the docent staff. Many of these were school and college groups, 

 including both instructors and students, from practically every State 

 in the Union. 



Two thousand eight hundred and eighty-two individuals have 

 been conducted through the Gallery by members of the docent staff 

 in special gallery tours, available to the general public. Two thou- 

 sand four hundred and eighty individuals have attended auditorium 

 lectures on the collection presented twice a week by members of the 

 docent staff, beginning April 8, 1941. 



In addition, members of the docent staff have conducted private 

 and group conferences for 288 teachers and other individuals inter- 

 ested in and learning about the Gallery and the collection. 



LIBRARY 



Books and catalogs to the number of 162 were presented to the 

 Gallery; 196 publications were acquired through exchange; and 51 

 books were purchased. 



PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT 



Since February 16, 1941, 6,356 prints have been made by the 

 photographic laboratory. Many were used in connection with the 

 opening of the Gallerj' on March 17, 1941. Others are on file in the 

 library, where they are for sale and for the use of the Gallery staff. 

 Lantern slides made for use in connection with free public lectures 

 in the Gallerv numbered 341. 



