51 
nized that attendance figures which reach more than 38,300 for 
a quarter of a million for one month, and 
one week-end, nearly 
and a quarter for a calendar year are alone 
more than one million 
evidence of sufficient public interest and benefit to justify more 
nearly adequate financing. 
Public Interest in Science and Art 
ihe @©thce-or-Education,-U...5- Departmenton the. nterior, has 
published a report on the “ Recent progress and condition of 
museums.” + When we consider the extent to which modern ctv- 
ilization is dependent upon scientific research and inventions based 
upon its results, it is interesting to note that the combined public 
and private support of public education through the medium of 
science museums, in the United States in 1930, was less than two- 
thirds that of art education through art museums, 
According to Table 10 of the above mentioned report, the ag- 
gregates of total incomes of public museums in 1930 was, for art 
museums, $7,394,000; for science museums, $4,796,000. The in- 
come from endowment of art museums in 1930 was $4,118,000; 
of science museums, $3,258,000, or about three-fourths that of art 
museums. Income from gifts and dues was, for art, $511,000; 
for science, $390,000, or less than four-fifths that for art. And 
yet this is often called “the age of science.” In fact, the large 
[ y endowed were 
l 
— 
fortunes out of which art has been so generous 
made possible, in large part, by scientific research and invention. 
Few fortunes have been made by art. Art is endowed by science. 
Science is endowed by art, but not financially. 
iat, notwithstanding our debt to modern 
1 in art than in science? Or 
—_— 
Do these figures mean t 
science, more people are interestec 
that more people can understand art than can understand science ? 
Or, possibly, that those whose interests are in art are possessed 
f more of this world’s goods, or are perhaps more generous or 
It may well be that a part of the answer 
In any event, the 
O 
more public spirited ? 
is contained in each of these four suggestions. 
fact remains that art museums are more generously supported in 
the United States than are science museums. 
By Laurence Vail Coleman, Director, the Amer- 
Washington, 1932. 
1 Bulletin, 1931, No. 20. \ 
ican Association of Museums, 
