TJir Principles of MusniD? Adnii)iistralio>i. 203 



which can hope to include all departments, and which can with safety 

 encourage growth in every direction. 



6. Small museums, it is needless to sa}', can not attempt specialization 

 in the same degree as large ones, but the principles just enunciated should 

 be constantly kept in view, even by the least of them. 



C. — COLLKCTIONS. 



I. The .sources of collections are the following: («) In' gift; (//) by 

 purchase; (r) by exchange; i^d) by collecting and exploration; (^e) by 

 construction; (/") through depo.sit or temporary loan. 



a. By gift. 



Acquisition by gift is a most important .source, but very uncertain. 

 If a mu.seum has a plan to which it intends to adhere, a large propor- 

 tion of the gifts offered- to it will be unavailable; while on the other 

 hand only a small proportion of the desiderata will ever be thus 

 obtained. A museum may properly, by the offer of a large and com- 

 plete collection illustrating a subject outside of its plan, be induced to 

 expand its .scope. In the case of a large benefaction of this kind, 

 necessitating extensive changes in installation, there will always be 

 careful consideration of the result. It should l)e borne in mind, 

 however, that the random, thoughtless acceptance of proffered gifts, 

 which, insignificant in itself , but in the course of a few years by no 

 means insignificant in the consumption of space and money for their 

 care, may modify the plan of a nniseum in a most radical manner. It 

 requires quite as much judgment and mental effort on the part of a 

 museum officer to keep out unsuitable objects as to l)ring in those 

 which are desiral)le. 



b. By purcliasc. 



Acquisition by purchase is often the onlj^ means of obtaining 

 desirable objects, particularly .so in the ca.se of art mu.seums, least 

 .so in natural history nmseums. Money is especially nece.s.sary for 

 the filling of gaps in .series obtained by gift or olherwi.se. 



c. By cxcJiaiige. 



Acquisition by exchange is especially advantageous, since it ena- 

 bles a nmseum to dispose of unavailable duplicate material. When 

 exchanges are made with well-conducted mu.seums, there is the addi- 

 tional advantage that the materials thus obtained have been studied 

 .and identified hy expert authorities. Little is gained l)y conducting 

 exchanges in a conunercial .spirit and insisting on too exact valua- 

 tions and balancing of equivalents, especiall}^ when the parties to the 

 exchange are public institutions. Large museums in dealing with 

 .small ones may often advantageously give largely and receive com- 

 ])aratively little in roturn, since the)' not onl)' become disembarrassed 

 of u.seless duplicates not desired by institutions of equal rank, but 



