94 REPORT OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



exercises of religious rites, and social ceremonies, would be isbown 

 ecclesiastical uteusils, &c., monuments of all kinds, badges of office, 

 flags and banners, beraldic emblems, and regalia, medals, &c. 



Each of the sixty -four principal sections provided for in the classifica- 

 tion is expanded in an equally comprehensive maimer. 



Experiments in methods of arrangement. — Much has been done during 

 the year in studying and exiierimenting, for the purpose of ascertaining 

 how to present to the public in the most effective manner the specimens 

 to be shown in the Museum ; the main objects in view being, (1) to 

 enable the visitors to make their examinations with the least possible 

 fatigue of eye and limb ; (2) to label the objects in the most concise and 

 instructive manner, and (3) to make the Museum as a whole as beautiful 

 and attractive as possible. 



The new building more than meets all expectations. The illumination 

 is perfect, the amount of space available for exhibition purposes is un- 

 doubtedly the maximum for a building of the size, and the disposition 

 of the exhibition halls in a single level directly upon the surface of the 

 earth, proves to be of great importance both to visitors and to those 

 who have in hand the work of arranging the collections. Over two 

 hundred exhibition cases have been constructed, many of which embody 

 ideas which have never before been used in museum administration ; 

 these, however, must be seen to be appreciated. The cases are all of 

 mahogany, finished in the natural color, and have been constructed in 

 accordance with artistic plans furnished by Mr. W. Bruce Gray. Their 

 chief recommendations are the following : (1) the building consisting 

 practically of a single large hall; the cases are so constructed as to form 

 partitions dividing the hall into seventeen halls of lesser extent; (2) the 

 cases are all of one length, 8 feet 8 inches, which is the architectural 

 unit of the Museum building, or are of such lengths that, combined 

 together, they always conform to this unit, so that they are interchange- 

 able ; (3) the construction is such that, wath very slight expenditure of 

 labor, any one of them full of specimens can be transported from one 

 part of the building to another, thus allowing great freedom in the 

 matter of rearranging the museum; (4) all the smaller specimens are 

 mounted in groups upon small tablets or in glass-covered boxes of uni- 

 form size, which can be handled with great facility and which afford 

 great security to the specimens, and diminish immensely the labor of 

 properly caring for them; (5) the objects are displayed against back- 

 grounds which at the same time afford the greatest ease to the eye 

 of the visitor and the greatest relief and effectiveness to the object dis- 

 played; (G) the objects being shown singly against a suitable background, 

 and at the same time brought as close as possible to the glass front of 

 the case, the sense of confusion, so often experienced in museums, is 

 entirely avoided ; (7) the labels are printed in large, heavy-face type and 

 upon i)aper of soft tints, which are much less wearisome to the eyo 

 than the ordinary labels in black and white. 



