AMERICAN HISTORY AND THE ARTS AND INDUSTRIES. 
From 1850 until 1881 the collections of the National Museum had 
only the Smithsonian building as their depository, and in this struc- 
ture they increased so greatly that all of the available space became 
filled far beyond its capacity. In the year last named the adjoining 
brick building was completed and made available for the overflow 
and for the many large donations received at the Philadelphia Ex- 
hibition of 1876. The growth of the collections continued rapidly, 
however, and in not many years this additional space was also more 
than occupied, becoming, in fact, so overcrowded that an orderly 
arrangement ceased to be possible, and the exhibits of natural history, 
of anthropology, of the arts and industries and of the fine arts were 
more or less intermingled, unsystematically and with little regard 
to relationship. The large granite building finished in 1911, or 30 
years later, brought the relief so much desired and permitted an 
organization which had long been looked forward to. This latest 
building was planned and erected with special reference to the needs 
of anthropology, biology and geology, composing what is known as 
the natural history branch of the Museum. The removal of the col- 
lections of these departments released about one-half of the exhibi- 
tion space in the two older buildings, affording opportunity for re- 
newing and increasing the art and industrial collections which at one 
time had been very prominent, for improving the methods for their 
administration and display, and for giving them a status of practical 
and educational usefulness. 
It is not to be understood, however, that the arts and industries 
have remained unrepresented, as several of the branches established 
in 1881 have been continuously maintained, though under very un- 
satisfactory conditions, and they will require revision and amplifica- 
tion as well as a strengthening of the expert staff. Among these are 
such important topics as mechanical technology, transportation, fire- 
arms, medicine, the graphic arts, ceramics, glass and metal work, and 
also American history, which was originally classified in this depart- 
ment. The new subjects, or rather those to be reestablished and in 
which considerable advancement has even now been made, comprise 
mainly the great industries concerned with the utilization of mineral, 
vegetable and animal products, the most significant of all to the wel- 
fare of the human race, as they supply our food, our clothing and 
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