4 REPORT <>K NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1901. 



Thus were taken the initial steps thai have resulted in the building 

 up of the National Museum of to-day, the largest branch of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, and already endowed with resources which 

 in extent, variety, and richness arc surpassed, if at all, by only a very 

 tVw of the older museums of the world. The actual nucleus of the 

 Museum, however, was formed a few years earlier by a society first 

 known a- the National Institution and afterwards as the National 

 Institute, organized for the avowed purpose of directing the Smithson 

 bequesf and of engaging in the pursuit of objects in consonance with 

 the terms of that foundation. 



One of these objects was the gathering of historical and natural 

 historj specimens from both oflicial and private sources, among the 

 former having been the important United States Exploring Expedi- 

 tion mound the world, from 1838 to 1842. The museum of the society, 

 which occupied rooms in the Patent Office building, came virtually to 

 he recognized as the proper place for the deposit and care of all Gov- 

 ernment collections held in Washington. Another important service 

 rendered by the society, as pointed out by Dr. Goode, was in the 

 direction of educating public opinion "to consider the establishment of 

 such an institution worthy of the attention of the Government of the 

 United States." Failing, however, to secure the public recognition 

 at which it aimed, the National Institute became inactive as early as 

 L846, though it was not until 1861 that it finally passed out of exist- 

 ence. The Government collections in its possession, which were 

 among those covered by the fundamental act of 1846, remained practi- 

 cally in the custody of the Commissioner of Patents up to 1858, when 

 :he\ were turned over to the Smithsonian Institution. Other material 

 directly under the control of the National Institute was retained at the 

 Patent Office until 1862, and a portion of the historical collection 

 until L883. 



At the time of the foundation of the Institution probably not more 

 than one or two universities or learned establishments in America had 

 so large an endowment, and it was apparently the idea of Congress 

 that the fund left by Smithson was ample to meet the needs of the 

 multifarious operations then proposed. These included, besides the 

 custody of the national and other collections confided to its care, 

 whereby the Museum was made an integral part of the Institution, the 

 accumulation and maintenance of a large library, the conduct of sci- 

 entific investigations, and the dissemination of useful knowledge, for 

 all of which purposes the construction of an adequate building was 

 primarily required and immediately determined upon. In the absence 

 of any stated limitations as to the time when the transfer of the Gov- 

 ernment collections should take place, the date for accepting the obli- 

 gation rested with the Regents, who. while confronted with the man- 

 dator languageofthe law, werestill forced to recognize the inadequacy 



