When various projects, now under way, are com- 

 plete, the building will stand in a parked area of great 

 attractiveness, and will be easy of access by a series of 

 boulevards, the Illinois Central suburban service, by 

 street cars, and the Elevated System. 



The interior of the Museum building consists, in its 

 general arrangement, of a great central hall or nave, 

 flanked by transverse exhibition halls on both sides; 

 these exhibition halls being again united by halls run- 

 ning parallel to the nave at each end of the building. 

 The central hall rises to the entire height of the build- 

 ing. The rest of the structure is divided into floors, all 

 of which are devoted to exhibition purposes, except the 

 third floor which is used as working space for the 

 scientific staff. 



The central hall, which is dedicated to Mr. Stanley 

 Field, President of the Museum, contains four except- 

 ionally fine statues designed by Mr. Henry Hering. 

 These figures symbolize the purposes of the Museum, 

 and blend with the architectural treatment of the hall. 

 The figures flanking the north archway represent Nat- 

 ural Science and the Dissemination of Knowledge; 

 those at the south typify Research and Record. 



The JAMES SIMPSON THEATRE, which was built 

 with funds provided by Mr. James Simpson, and a 

 lecture hall occupy the western portion of the ground 

 floor. They are reached by a special entrance from 

 the west terrace, and also by a broad stairway from 

 the first floor. 



The theatre is one hundred feet long, ninety-five 

 feet wide, and twenty-three feet high. It seats one 

 thousand and fifty-two persons. The architectural 

 treatment is in accord with the rest of the building, and 



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