REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1911. 15 



metal is less significant, and for this and other reasons wood has 

 been adopted as the common material for the frames and bases of 

 the exhibition cases. 



As it was desirable to first establish the scientific staff and the 

 general collections in the building, the construction of the storage 

 and laboratory furniture was taken up and mostly finished before 

 work on the exhibition ,cases was begun. The moving of the reserve 

 collections was commenced in August, 1909, and by the close of last 

 year not only had it been practically completed, but the systematic 

 arrangement of the specimens in their new quarters, either perma- 

 nently or tentatively, had also been mainly accomplished. While 

 the new installation had not been perfected to the same extent in all 

 of the divisions, yet, as a whole, it was so far advanced as to produce 

 conditions vastly superior to those existing at any previous time. 

 Such a result, however, was only made possible by the greatly 

 increased and more convenient accommodations, which permitted the 

 spreading out in an accessible and orderly manner of essentially all 

 of the material belonging to each division, and by the employment 

 of temporary help exceptional progress was made in the work of 

 recording and cataloguing specimens. The mechanical and scientific 

 workshops and the offices generally were also among the first of the 

 new quarters to be furnished. 



The building of exhibition cases, started in 1910, was carried on 

 actively during last year, and must still be continued for some time 

 longer. The furnishing of 5 acres of exhibition space is an under- 

 taking of considerable magnitude and complexity, since, while cer- 

 tain units may be established, each case or set of cases must be 

 planned with reference to some particular display feature, and this 

 in turn depends upon a thorough understanding of the material that 

 is available and suitable for the purpose. Furthermore, a large pro- 

 portion of the specimens, as illustrated especially by the mammals, 

 birds, skeletons, and ethnological groups, must first undergo prepara- 

 tion by slow and laborious processes, and in regard to these the case 

 requirements can not be foretold. This explanation is made for the 

 benefit of those who, not acquainted with the circumstances, may 

 wonder why the exhibition halls in the new building are not being 

 finished more rapidly. There has, in fact, been no interruption to 

 the work since it was started, and a very considerable area was early 

 made accessible for the public by temporarily utilizing many old 

 cases and old groupings. Other spaces have been and will continue 

 to be opened under similar conditions, and in a comparatively short 

 time the public may expect to gain entire possession of the two 

 stories which are designed to be their province. Whatever additions 

 and improvements are subsequently made, they will not interfere 

 with the movement of visitors. It should also be explained that 



