KEPOKT OF ASSISTANT SECKETAKY. 15 



and for scientific research, and as workshops for the })ropanition of 

 specimens for study and for exhibition. It shoukl also be noted that 

 the Museum is called upon to furnish workrooms for several of the 

 scientific bureaus, whose collections are partly studied there, and that, 

 by a recent act of Congress, it is incumljent upon the Museum to pro- 

 vide facilities for such students and investigators from other })arts of 

 the country as may choose to visit it for purposes of researcli. 



Finall}^, space must be provided for certain general and miscella- 

 neous purposes, such as the mechanit-al workshops and storerooms, 

 the heating plant, public-comfort rooms, the lil)rary. a lecture' hall, 

 the administrative ofiices, etc. 



An. estimate of the amount of space needed has been reached by a 

 carefid consideration of the several reipiirements as set forth Ixdow, 

 nameh' : 



(1) To reliev(> the present very congested condition of the exhitfi- 

 tion halls. 



(2) To provide for the display of objects now in storage which are 

 suitable and intended for public exhibition. 



(8) Convenient and systematic storage for the vast reserve oi- record 

 collections which are now for the most part inaccessi]>le for examina- 

 tion. 



(Jr) Suitable scientific laboratories, preparators' workshops, etc. 



(5) The mechanical workshops required in making repairs to build- 

 ings and in the construction and repair of eases and other furniture 

 and fixtures. 



(6) Offices necessary for administrati\e and other ])uip()scs common 

 to all the branches of the Museum. 



(7) The space required for the heating phmt, the lil)rary, a lecture 

 hall, public-comfort rooms, and other miscellaneous purposes. 



(8) Provision for future growth. 



The growth of the Museum for a numl)er of years past has been 

 mainly through the receipt of material which by law it must receive 

 and care for. The amount of material declined or diverted elsewhere 

 during the last ten or fifteen years because of the lack of room would 

 have occupied a very large proportion of the present exhibition space 

 and have greatly increased the money value of the collections. The 

 same conditions have prevented the Museum authorities from solicit- 

 ing large contributions, but with adequate facilities many extensive 

 exhibits can be had for the asking. The department of arts and 

 industries, the more practical side of the Museum, has perhaps suf- 

 fered most from the lack of accommodations. I^arge exhibits have 

 had to be removed to storage, and the growth of this most important 

 and striking branch was necessarily stopped some time ago. It should 

 be made here, as it has been in all the larger capitals of the world, 

 one of the most important features of the national collections, and its 



