27 



THE MUSEUMS. 



lx the absence of the Director of Museums, the Assistant Curator of the 

 Derby Museum furnishes the Forty-Sixth Annual Report upon the 

 CONDUCT and progress of the Museums. 



I. — General. 

 The Free Public Museums comprise (A) the Derby Museum, of 

 which the nucleus was the collections bequeathed in 1851 to the City, by 

 the Thirteenth Earl of Derby. It contains the British Collections, and 

 the general Zoological. Geological, Mineralogical, and Botanical Depart- 

 ments, besides which there is an Aquarium, containing both Fresh and 

 Salt Water Animals ; (B) the Mayer Museum, the larger part of 

 which was collected and presented to the Corporation in 1867, by 

 Joseph Mayer. Esq.. F.S.A. These collections are specially rich in (a) 

 Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian Antiquities ; (b) Mediaeval European 

 Ivories, Bronzes and Illuminated Manuscripts ; (c) the unrivalled 

 Brian-Faussett Anglo-Saxon Collection ; (d) the Mather Miniatures; and 

 (e) the very important Pottery Collections, conspicuously rich in Wedgwood 

 and Old Liverpool Wares. Associated with this Museum, as belonging 

 more nearly to the subjects illustrated by it, though not forming to any 

 large extent part of the Mayer Bequest, are (/) the Ethnographical 

 Collections, chiefly of barbaric races. 



The building, in which these collections are housed, was erected at the 

 cost of the late Sir William Brown, in October, 1860. 



The Exhibition Galleries are open free to the public, as under : — 

 During January, November, and December ... from 10 to 4 

 „ February ... ... ... „ 10 to 4-30 



„ March and October... ... ... „ 10 to 5 



„ April to September .. ... ... ., 10 to 6 



Also on Monday Evenings during January to) 

 March, and October to December ... J " 



The Museums are closed on Sundays and Fridays (except the 

 Fridays of Whit-, Easter- and Christmas-Weeks) throughout the 

 year, as well as on Christmas Day, and days of Public Fast and 

 Thanksirivins. 



