18 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1923 



entire collection of numismatic material formerly exhibited in the 

 United States mint in Philadelphia, transferred to the Museum 

 owing to the closing of the mint to the public. 



A number of field expeditions in which the Museum was interested 

 resulted in greatly enriching the collections in all departments, 

 though mainly in biology and geology. These expeditions are de- 

 scribed in the report on the Museum appended hereto. The usual 

 large number of meetings, congresses, and receptions were held in 

 the auditorium and rooms of the Natural History Building. Visitors 

 to the Natural History Building totaled 508,518, to the Arts and 

 Industries Building, 259,542, to the Smithsonian Building, 95,168, 

 and to the Aircraft Building, 42,904. The Museum published dur- 

 ing the year 10 volumes and 42 separate papers, of which there were 

 distributed a total of 72,529 copies. 



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 



In the National Gallery, the year has seen substantial advance in 

 a number of directions, although additions to the art collections have 

 not been so numerous as in several previous years. The time of the 

 staff has been devoted largely to the receipt, installation, and care 

 of the collections ; to completing the records and labeling ; and to the 

 preparation of matter for publication for the purpose of arousing 

 interest in the National Gallery, especially in its vital need of a 

 gallery building. A recent act of Congress authorizes the raising 

 of funds for a National Gallery Building and provides a site in the 

 Smithsonian Park for its erection, and the gallery has made every 

 effort during the year to bring forcibly to the attention of the public 

 the urgency of providing a suitable building to take care of the grow- 

 ing national art collection and to offer better inducements to pro- 

 spective donors to the Nation of valued art material. Furthermore, 

 there must be in America a National Gallery of Art Building if we 

 are to take a respectable place among the civilized nations of the 

 world in the field of art, and the director of the gallery has en- 

 deavored in several published articles to make known this national 

 shortcoming and to stir the pride of a people not accustomed to take 

 a second or third place in any field worthy of their ambition. 



The National Gallery Commission held its second annual meet- 

 ing on December 12, and numerous important problems connected 

 with the work of the gallery and with its future were considered. 

 Following the reports of committees, a new committee was appointed 

 to look after the gallery's interests in the final disposition of pur- 

 chases made from the Ranger bequest fund. 



The 21 portraits of distinguished leaders of America and other 

 allied nations in the war with Germany, painted by a number of 



