260 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1901. 



Since these proposed exhibition units are to represent terrestrial 

 areas, it follows that their order in the museum should approximate 

 as nearly as may be the geographical order. If, for example, we are 

 dealing with North America, the most northern group or unit should 

 come first and the groups to the south follow according to degree of 

 intimacy in geographical relations. In this way neighboring environ- 

 ments, cultures, and peoples come together and their interrelations 

 may be presented and studied to advantage. 



Assuming that the museum space to be occupied is an ordinary hall 

 or series of halls having a convenient width of, say, 120 to 150 feet, 

 the several members of each series would be assembled somewhat as is 

 shown in the diagram. The lay -figure cases (A, A) would be ranged 

 down the center of the space, with wide aisles at right and left, the 

 associated exhibits (a, J, c, d, e) coming at the sides in whatever order 

 seems most advantageous, each series extending entirely across the 

 hall, as shown in I and II; or, otherwise, standing at the sides, in the 

 manner indicated in III and IV, where B and B are the family groups, 

 facing the main aisle. The order and relative position of the separate 

 exhibits in each exhibition unit should be approximately uniform. 

 The ordinary visitor would thus be able to pass down the central aisles, 

 observing the various peoples as represented by the lay figures, giving 

 slight attention perhaps to the associated exhibits, while the student 

 of a particular branch — as, for example, weapons of war and the 

 chase — could pass from section to section, examining and comparing 

 in geographic order the successive exhibits illustrative of this branch. 

 The thing most to be desired in conducting the visitor through such 

 a great series of exhibits is to bring the various features before him in 

 logical order, and the suggested arrangement is apparently the best 

 that can be devised. 



It frequently happens that a particular ethnic area contains a cul- 

 tural feature of exceptional importance which is represented by such a 

 large body of material that to display it in the systematic series would 

 be to throw the whole representation out of symmetry. This exigency 

 would be happily provided for by arranging the plan and section of the 

 museum building in the manner indicated in figs. 2 and 8. While the sys- 

 tematic geographic scries are provided for in the main skylighted hall 

 (^i) and its lateral gallery spaces (B), say, 140 feet in total width, lat- 

 eral tiers of inferior side-lighted halls ( ( '), properly connected by door- 

 ways with the main hall, may accommodate the overflow of unusually 

 developed features. This idea would apply most satisfactorily, for 

 example, in the California area, where a great series of basketry prod- 

 ucts, so prominent a feature of the ethnology of that region, could be 

 installed in one of the lateral halls (C), the systematic exhibit of the 

 area occupying the full width of A. Or, again, in the case of the 

 Mississippi Valley area, the great bodv of archaeological material could 



