The Museums of tJie Future. 255 



We speak of educational nuiseuins and of the educational method of 

 installation so frequently that there may be danj^^er of inconsistency in 

 the use of the term. An educational nuisemn, as it is usually spoken 

 of, is one in which an attempt is made to teach the unprofessional visitor — 

 an institution for popular education Ij}- means of lalxded collections, and 

 it may be also I)}' popular lectures. A college museum, althou.^-h used 

 as an aid to advanced instruction, is not an "educational nuiseum " in 

 the ordinary sense ; nor does a museum of research, like the Museiim of 

 Comparative Zoolot^y in Cambridge, Massachusetts, l)elong to this class, 

 although to a limited extent it attempts and performs popular educa- 

 tional work in addition to its other functions. 



In the National Museum in Washington the collections are divided 

 into two great classes — the exhil)ition series, which constitutes the 

 educational j)ortion of the Museum, and is exposed to public view with 

 all possible accessions for public entertainment and instruction, and the 

 study series, which is kept in the scientific laboratories, and is .scarcely 

 examined except by professional investigators. 



In every properly conducted museum the collections nuist from the 

 very beginning divide themselves into these two cla.sses, and in planning 

 for its administration provision .should l)e made not onl}- for the exhibi- 

 tion of objects in glass cases, but for the preservation of large collections 

 not available for exhibition, to be used for the .studies of a very limited 

 number of .specialists. 



Lord Bacon, who, as we have noticed, was the first to whom occinred 

 the idea of a great mu.seum of science and art, complained three cen- 

 turies ago, in his book On the Advancement of I^earning, that up to 

 that time the means for intellectual progress had been used exclusively 

 for "annisement" and "teaching," and not for the "augmentation of 

 science. ' ' 



It will undoubtedly be found desirable for certain nui.seums, founded 

 for local effect, to specialize mainly in the direction of ])opular education. 

 If they can not also provide for a certain amount of scholarly endea\-or 

 in connection wdtli the other advantages, it would Ije of the utmost 

 importance that they should be a.ssorted by a system of administrative 

 cooperation with some institution which is in the position of being a 

 center of original work. 



The general character of museums should l)e clearly determined at its 

 very inception. Specialization and division of laljor are es.sential for 

 institutions as well as for individuals. It is only a great national nui.seum 

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

 encourage growth in every direction. 



A city nuiseum, even in a great metropolis like Brooklyn, should, 

 if po.ssible, select certain .special lines of activity and pursue them with 

 the intention of excelling. If there are already beginnings in many 

 directions, it is equally necessary to decide which lines of de\-elopnient 



