182 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1901. 



was blue. The elaborate polychrome decoration of the other exposi- 

 tion buildings was not attempted. 



The space in the Government building allotted to the Smithsonian 

 Institution and National Museum was in the northwestern corner. 

 (Plate 2.) It originally amounted to 10,108 square feet, but the size 

 of tiie Government building being subsequently reduced the space 1 was 

 contracted. From the extreme north and south ends and from the 

 west wall to the main aisle it measured 133 feet by 50 feet, comprising 

 an area of about 7.500 square feet. A small area at the north end was 

 separated from the main space by a cross aisle 8 feet wide, leading to 

 one of the west entrances, and a similar aisle crossed the space near 

 the south end, though this was not originally proposed, but was found 

 necessary to allow convenient admission from the annexes. The sub- 

 division of tin 1 space and the arrangement of cases are shown in the 

 accompanying diagram. (Plate 3.) 



The space was on the whole well lighted b} T a series of large win- 

 dows in the west wall, supplemented by the clearstory windows above 

 the main aisle. The west windows were stippled with white paint to 

 obstruct the direct rays of the sun, and a series of transparencies were 

 placed in front of them as embellishments. 



As usual in most exposition buildings, the posts supporting the 

 clearstory and aisles caused more or less inconvenience in locating the 

 cases. In one instance it proved unavoidable to cut a standard case in 

 pieces and rebuild it about a post in order to maintain an important 

 aisle. In other instances posts stood immediately in front of the cases. 

 producing a most undesirable effect. These architectural inconven- 

 iences can only be got rid of by supporting the roof by a series of 

 arches springing from the walls. 



The interior decoration of the building, as a whole, was placed in 

 the hands of a committee of the Government board and was uniform 

 throughout, consisting of red and green bunting supplemented by 

 United States flags. To these, in the Museum space, were added large 

 signs bearing the nana 1 of the Institution and Museum and a trophy, 

 or coat of anus, with the seal and motto of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The building had no basements, and empty packing cases were stored 

 in lofts in the various towers and in the parapets constructed by the 

 War Department to illustrate the mounting of large ordnance. 



A good deal of inconvenience was experienced at the beginning by 

 the defects in the roof of the building, on account of which certain 

 parts of the space were flooded during heavy rains. By constant 

 watchfulness, however, serious damage was avoided. The weather 

 conditions immediately prior to the opening of the Exposition were 

 extremely unfavorable. The workmen suffered much from cold, and 

 the receipt and unloading of exhibits were greatly hampered. Never- 

 theless, by hard work the Museum display was opened to the public 



