and Laboratory Methods. 



2169 



The Museum. 

 III. 



THE MUSEUM BUILDING— INTERIOR. 



Museums can be broadly grouped, in regard to form, in two classes, (I) the 

 single (sometimes double) storied spreading structures with vertical or top light, 

 more or less combined with side-lights (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York ; 

 Field Museum at Chicago; National Museum, Washington, D. C. ; World's Fair 

 buildings everywhere), and (2) the multi-storied, more restricted, upright build- 

 ings with side wall windows and lateral light (American Museum of Natural 

 History, New York; Natural History Museum, London, etc.). 



The question of the comparative merits of the single or multi-storied build- 

 ings, apart from considerations of space and financial resources, probably rests 

 upon two particulars, first, that of wall space, and that of light, the latter with 



Fig. 12. — Central Hall (top light) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 



especial reference to reflections. Reflections are puzzling and vexatious acci- 

 dents, and in many instances, under peculiar conditions, destroy the pleasure of 

 visitors completely. To look in a case and find yourself mirrored with exacting 

 fidelity at every step you take, decidedly upsets the spectator's interest and en- 

 joyment in an exhibit. Or in examining objects at an angle to have them 

 replaced by the figures and faces of bystanders is equally disconcerting. 



Obviously, the filling of the case with light, so that the emitted light is in 

 excess of the transmitted light, will rectify this defect. And the influx of light 

 from above /las a fende/icv to produce just such a necessary contrast. But it 

 does not dissipate reflections entirely, and on dark days such misfortunes are 

 about as conspicuous in skylighted buildings as in those with windows. It is 

 an unavoidable optical effect which can be reduced, never, when conditions pro- 



