THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION CLARK. 139 



laboratories, and other purposes. As the latest of the great museum 

 buildings of the world it embodies many new and important features. 

 Here are displayed the collections pertaining to anthropology, bi- 

 ology, and geology, and the National Gallery of Art. 



The number of visitors to the original Smithsonian building from 

 1881 to 1916 was 4,580,932; and to the industrial arts building 

 7,727,732; while the visitors to the natural history building from 

 1910 to 1916 numbered 1,835,529. 



Through the generosity of Mr. Charles L. Freer there was begun 

 in the summer of 1916 in connection with the National Gallery of 

 Art, the construction of a beautiful edifice to house the splendid col- 

 lection of American and oriental works of art presented to the Insti- 

 tution by Mr, Freer, who has placed at the disposal of the Institution 

 more than a million dollars to defray the cost of the building. 



The Astrophysical Observatory is housed in a group of small 

 wooden structures south of the Smithsonian administrative building. 



PURPOSES AND OBJECTS. 



The Smithsonian plan of organization embraces the two objects 

 named by the testator; one, the increase of knowledge by the addi- 

 tion of new truths to the existing stock; the other, the diffusion of 

 knowledge, thus increased, among men. No restriction is made in 

 favor of any kind of knowledge, and hence each branch is entitled to 

 and receives a share of attention. Part of the plan has included the 

 formation of a library of science and art, a museum, a gallery of art, 

 and provisions for physical research and popular lectures. 



The activities of the Institution embrace all branches of natural 

 science, the fine arts, and industrial arts. It has at all times fostered 

 progressive scientific research. Since its establishment the Institu- 

 tion has inaugurated and maintained or has participated in a great 

 number of astronomical, anthropological, biological, and geological 

 expeditions and explorations in every portion of the world, resulting 

 in largely increasing our knowledge of the geography, the meteor- 

 ology, the fauna and flora, and the ethnology of all lands, and in the 

 acquisition of a vast amount of valuable material for the National 

 ISluseum. 



The Smithsonian is not an educational institution of the nature of 

 a university with a corps of professors and students, and yet its 

 educational functions are of the highest rank, for the members of 

 its scientific staff and its many collaborators are constantly engaged 

 in investigations in which students of science in all its branches 

 participate; and the museum collections and the collection of ani- 

 mals in the Zoological Park are a constant source of original infor- 



