Report on the National Air Museum 
Sim: I have the honor to submit the following report on the activi- 
ties of the National Air Museum for the fiscal year ended June 30, 
1958: 
Of outstanding importance to the National Air Museum during the 
year was the progress made in the matter of a site for a new building. 
On June 26, 1958, the United States Senate passed S. 1985, a bill in- 
troduced by Senator Clinton P. Anderson, authorizing the prepara- 
tion of plans for the construction of a suitable building for a National 
Air Museum to be located on the site bounded by Fourth and Seventh 
Streets, SW., Independence Avenue, and Jefferson Drive. At the 
close of the year the bill had gone to the House of Representatives 
and had been referred to the Committee on Public Works. The 
passage of this bill by the Senate marks a long step toward the 
realization of many years’ efforts in the matter of adequate housing 
for the National Air Museum. 
Many important accessions were received. Notable among these 
were the General William Mitchell statue and a Vanguard rocket. 
These are on exhibition in the Arts and Industries Building. 
Progress was made in the improvement and preparation of storage 
and restoration facilities. These facilities take on increasing impor- 
tance as the planning of the exhibit for the new building progresses. 
A new and improved exhibit in the Aircraft Building is in the 
planning stage. In addition to providing a much-needed change in 
this old exhibition space, it will serve as useful experience in plan- 
ning the aeronautical exhibits for the new building. 
The Museum’s information service continued as a growing and 
active function during the year. ‘Technical, historical, and biographi- 
cal information pertaining to the development of aviation was fur- 
nished by the staff for Government agencies, universities, research 
workers, authors, teachers, students, and the inquiring public. The 
reference files, photographic files, and library of the Museum con- 
tinued to expand in volume and usefulness with the acquisition of 
additional data and materials from many sources. 
Two Honorary Fellows of the National Air Museum, Capt. John J. 
Ide, USNR, and Frederick Crawford, were appointed during the 
year. A Director of the National Air Museum, Philip S. Hopkins, 
was appointed and assumed his duties in February 1958. An associate 
curator, Louis S. Casey, was also added to the staff. 
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