4 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



course, interfered seriously with the realization of tlie plans previously 

 laid out by them for the development of their respective departments. 

 Several curators were absent from the Museum for a considerable 

 portion of the year. Two were detailed by the Museum to cooperate 

 with the United States Fish Commission in certain special investiga- 

 tions of aquatic life off the coast of Alaska, and others Avere absent 

 iu the field for several months. 



A.— OKICxIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSEUM. 



The history of the origin and development of the Museum has been 

 detailed iu previous reports, and was made the special subject of a 

 paper entitled " The Genesis of the National Museum." ^ For our pres- 

 ent purpose it will suffice to repeat a few of the most essential facts as 

 there stated. 



The formation of a national museum in the city of Washington was 

 first undertaken by a society organized in 1840, called "The National 

 Institution," and afterwards "The National Institute," which was for 

 four years exceedingly i^rosperous and active. The nucleus for a 

 national museum was gathered by this society in the Patent Office 

 building in Washington, and public opinion was educated to consider 

 the establishment of such an institution worthy of the attention of the 

 Government of the United States. In 1846, having failed in securing 

 the public recognition at which it aimed, the society became inactive, 

 and eventually, iu ]8()1, passed out of existence. In the meantime the 

 Smithsonian Institution had been organized, but from 1844 until 1858, 

 when the so called "National Academy of Guriosities " passed into the 

 charge of the Smithsonian Institution, the term "National Museum" 

 was not in use. From that time onward it was used, unofficially, to 

 designate the collections in the Smithsonian building. 



Iu January, 1847, the first Board of Eegents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, after many weeks of consultation and deliberation over the 

 plans for organization, unanimously voted the following resolution: 



licsolved, That it is the iuteutiou of the act of Congress, and iu accoixlauce with 

 the design of Mr. Smithson, as expressed in his will, that one of the principal modes 

 of executing the act and the trust is the accuiiiulatiou of collections of specimens 

 and objects of natural history and of elegant art, and the gradual foriuation of a 

 lilirarv of valiialde works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge, to the 

 end that a copious storehouse of materials of science, literature, and artmay bepro- 

 videil, which shall excite and diffuse the love of learning among men, and shall 

 assist the original investigations and efforts of those who may devote themselves to 

 the pursuit of any branch of kuowledge." 



After the "national cabinet" had been delivered to the Regents, 

 annual appropriations were made by Congress for its maintenance. 

 During the twenty-three years which followed, the collections were 



"'The Genesis of the National Museum," Report of the Smithsonian Institution 

 (U. S. National Museum), 1891, pp. 273-330. 

 -Report of committee on organization, p. 20. 



