REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 19 
to laboratories, workshops, offices, etc., which are arranged along 
the outer walls and extend through the adjacent ranges. The height 
of the story is about 20 feet. 
The main story, as above intimated, also presents a continuous 
floor space, and in order to completely light it the middle part of 
each wing, to a width of 50 feet, is carried up through the second 
story to a ceiling light underneath a roof skylight. The sides of the 
story to a depth of 32 feet are lighted from the windows, but at the 
outer ends of the wings the distance is somewhat greater. The line 
of demarcation between the two sections is marked by a row of piers, 
which helps to support the second story. This open construction is 
the main feature of the wings, and furnishes three exceptionally 
large halls well adapted to the exhibition of collections for the 
public. By means of screens the lateral sections can be partly cut 
off from the skylighted area, and divided into apartments so as to 
meet the varying requirements of installation without destroying the 
architectural effect of the hall as a whole. The height at the sides 
is about 21 feet, and from the floor to the ceiling light about 52 feet. 
The second story of the main wings, as will be understood from the 
above description, is equivalent in space to only the lateral and end 
sections of the first story. It is separated from the skylighted area 
by walls, pierced at intervals by large doorlike openings, from which 
a view of the main halls may be obtained. Its height is about 20 
feet, and it derives its hght entirely from windows. It will also be 
utilized for public exhibition. The third story corresponds with the 
second in the amount and distribution of floor space. It will, how- 
ever, be entirely divided into rooms for laboratories, for the storage 
of collections, and for the general administrative offices. In the 
attics of the wings some additional space for storage will be obtained. 
The building will be entirely fireproof, and will contain every 
modern convenience that is deemed essential for museum purposes. 
A monumental staircase has been omitted on account of the space it 
would occupy, but there are several stairways at different points, and 
passenger elevators at the two entrances. 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART. 
In accordance with the plan proposed the year before, with the 
object of maintaining a proper standard of merit in the acceptance 
of paintings and works of sculpture for the National Gallery of Art, 
a committee of five artists to act in an advisory capacity was desig- 
nated in the spring of 1908. The selection of three members of the 
committee was requested of three leading art associations, the other 
two being named by the Smithsonian Institution. This committee 
held its first meeting at the Institution on April 16, 1908. As then 
