REPORT ON THE PROGRESS AND CONDITION 

 OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1922. 



By William deC. Ravenel, 



Administrative Assistant to the Secretary, 

 In charge of the United States National Museum. 



INCEPTION AND HISTORY. 



The Congress of the United States in the act of August 10, 1846, 

 founding the Smithsonian Institution recognized that an opportunity 

 was afforded, in carrying out the design of Smithson for the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge, to provide for the custody of the mu- 

 seum of the Nation. To this new establishment was, therefore, in- 

 trusted the care and development of the national collections. 



At first the cost of maintaining the museum was paid from the 

 Smithsonian income; then for a time the Government bore a share, 

 but during the past 40 years the Congress has provided for the 

 expenses of the Museum, thus protecting the limited resources of 

 the Institution. 



The museum idea was fundamental in the organic act establish- 

 ing the Smithsonian Institution, which was based upon a 10 years' 

 discussion in the Congress and the advice of the most distinguished 

 scientific men, educators, and intellectual leaders of the Nation of 

 75 years ago. It is interesting to note how broad and comprehensive 

 were the views which actuated the Congress in determining the 

 scope of the Museum, a fact especially remarkable when it is recalled 

 that at that date no museum of considerable size existed in the 

 United States, and the museums of England and of the Continent of 

 Europe were still to a large extent without a developed plan, al- 

 though containing many rich collections. 



The Congress which passed the act of foundation enumerated as 

 within the scope of the Museum " all objects of art and of foreign and 

 curious research and all objects of natural history, plants, and geo- 

 logical and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States," 



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