18 ANNUAL, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



to the exhibitions in the division of medicine. The division of 

 graphic arts received numerous additions pertaining to the history 

 and development of the printing art and held a number of suc- 

 cessful exhibitions of prints, etchings, lithographs, and photographs. 

 In the division of history the most notable addition was the Ameri- 

 can colonial room presented by Mrs. Gertrude D. Ritter, mentioned 

 previously in this summary. The division also received a gown worn 

 by Mrs. Warren G. Harding and another worn by Mrs. Benjamin 

 Harrison to be added to the collection of costumes of ladies of the 

 White House in which so much popular interest is shown. 



The Museum participated in a number of field expeditions which 

 have resulted in greatly increasing the collections in the various 

 departments. These are described in the report on the Museum ap- 

 pended hereto. The auditorium was used by a large number of 

 scientific and other societies and organizations for lectures and 

 meetings. Visitors to the Natural History Building during the 

 year totaled 540,776; to the Arts and Industries Building, 290,012; 

 to the Aircraft Building, 43,534; and to the Museum exhibits in the 

 Smithsonian Building, 104,601. Eight volumes and 44 separates 

 were published by the Museum during the year, and of these 78,734 

 copies were distributed. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 



The year has witnessed substantial advance in the work of the 

 gallery, and a number of important art works were received notwith- 

 standing the fact that there is no longer suitable space available 

 for the display of additional exhibits. Constant effort has been 

 made during the year to impress upon the country the urgent need 

 of a National Gallery Building, and gratifying assurance of the 

 awakening of public interest in national art is given by the intro- 

 duction in the Senate by Senator Lodge of an amendment to the 

 deficiency appropriations bill to provide for commencing the erec- 

 tion of a suitable building for the gallery. Although this amend- 

 ment did not pass at the last session of Congress, it is hoped that 

 favorable action will soon be taken. It will be recalled from last 

 year's report that Congress has provided a site in the Smithsonian 

 grounds for such a building and that funds were raised privately 

 for the preparation of plans. At the close of the year Mr. Charles 

 A. Piatt, the architect selected, had the plans well under way. 



The annual meeting of the National Gallery Commission was held 

 on December 11 and a number of important topics were considered, 

 including the problem of securing a National Galleiy Building, a 

 recommendation that a division of historical architecture be included 

 in the National Gallery of Art, and the selection of an architect for 



