REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 29 



arrangements were made for the establishment of headquarters in 

 the National Capital, with a salaried director and secretary, Prof. 

 Charles R. Richards and Mr. Laurence Vail Coleman, respectively. 

 The National Museum gave support to the movement by permitting 

 the association to have its offices in the Arts and Industries Build- 

 ing. Toward the end of the year headquarters of the association 

 were accordingly established on the third floor of the northwest 

 pavilion of that building. Professor Richards is spending his first 

 year on leave in order to make a survey of European museums, and 

 Mr. Coleman is in charge as acting director. 



Three small rooms off the foyer in the Natural History Building, 

 which have been held exclusively for use of temporary loan ex- 

 hibits — usually in connection with gatherings in the auditorium — 

 were this year assigned to the department of biology for the display 

 of the animals of the District of Columbia. These collections, which 

 for lack of room had been scattered in various halls or stored away, 

 are now brought together and made available for students, amateurs, 

 and school children of Washington. 



In the Arts and Industries Building a new exhibition hall was 

 prepared and opened to the public during the year, being a small 

 room on the second floor of the southeast range. Here is shown an 

 attractive display of historical relics received from the Military 

 Service Institution, including the famous horse owned by Gen. Phil 

 Sheridan. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



The National Museum, in its own buildings and in the Smithsonian 

 Building, occupies an aggregate floor space of over 670,000 square 

 feet, or over 151/2 acres, with roof area of approximately 5% acres, 

 and some 2,000 windows. The upkeep is necessarily considerable, 

 especially when it is recalled that the Smithsonian Building has been 

 erected nearly 70 years, the Arts and Industries Building about 43 

 years, and the so-called South Shed about 25 years. The other 

 structures are more recent, the Natural History Building being about 

 14 years old and the Aircraft Building about 6. Most of the space 

 is used for exhibition purposes and must at all times be kept in good 

 repair and in sightly condition. Constant vigilance is necessary to 

 properly maintain these buildings within the appropriation allotted 

 for the purpose, and it is only by strict economy that the present sat- 

 isfactory results are accomplished. 



Early in the year an emergency arose, namely, the falling of large 

 pieces of plaster from the ceiling under the dome of the rotunda in 

 the Arts and Industries Building, which necessitated the expenditure 

 of 40 per cent of the entire appropriation provided for the mainte- 

 nance of the buildings. 

 1454—25 4 



