46 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1916. 



held in the auditorium on April 5 and 6, consisted of an exposition 

 of the work of this, the first scientific service of the Government, by 

 eminent authorities who had been invited to speak upon those phases 

 of the Survey's activities with which they are best acquainted. 



The American Association of Museums held its eleventh annual 

 meeting in Washington from May 15 to 18, and the American Federa- 

 tion of Arts its seventh annual convention from the I7th to the 19th 

 of the same month. Wliile only one session of the former and none of 

 the latter was held in the Museum, a reception was tendered to both 

 on the evening of May 17, when an important loan exhibition of the 

 industrial arts was opened with a special view. 



SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS. 



The educational efforts of the Museum were most notably served 

 by several large and important special exhibitions. Supplementing 

 the arrangements for the meetings of the Congress of Americanists 

 and affiliated societies during convocation week, an interesting 

 installation was made of material relating to pertinent subjects. 



During the week of February 21-27 the foyer, with three of its 

 communicating rooms, was occupied by one of the most remarkable 

 and interesting Government exhibitions that has ever been assembled. 

 Having as its theme the " safety-first " idea, it was participated in by 

 20 bureaus, the American National Red Cross Society, and the Metro- 

 politan police department, the activities of all of which are primarily 

 for or comprehend in a marked degree the safeguarding of life and 

 property, as well as the prevention and care of disease. Although the 

 available area was restricted the display proved most effective and 

 satisfactory, as it was also comprehensive, probably nothing in the 

 Government service relating to " safety first " having escaped some 

 representation. Attention was widely called to the exhibition in ad- 

 vance. The governors of States were notified of the nation-wide 

 aspect of the exposition, one of the results of which was to bring 

 about a meeting of State mine inspectors in the Museum, and manu- 

 facturers and operators from all over the country were invited to be 

 present. The total attendance of visitors during the week was 

 35,447. 



The exercises commemorating the centenary of the Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey, held on April 5 and 6, were supplemented by an 

 exhibition in the foyer, the purpose of which was to illustrate the 

 appliances and methods used and the results obtained in both its 

 marine and geodetic work during the 100 years of its existence. The 

 material was admirably selected and arranged, constituting one of 

 the most complete and instructive special displays ever installed in 

 the Museum. 



