The number and the value of the exhibits shown 

 at the World's Columbian Exposition, and their fitness 

 for museum purposes, was an opportunity to establish 

 a museum on a large and liberal scale, of which the 

 committee was not slow to avail itself. The great 

 nations of the world, after a long period of peace and 

 prosperity, had reached a high state of artistic and 

 industrial development. The competition and rivalry 

 resulted in each nation producing and exhibiting its 

 best; the display of material was consequently 

 unsurpassed. The pioneers of the Museum deter- 

 mined that the most important and valuable of these 

 exhibits must remain in Chicago. 



The task of acquiring valuable collections was 

 conducted with great zeal; but the expense was 

 great, and it was not until October 26th, when it was 

 announced that Marshall Field had given one million 

 dollars to the institution, that the future of the 

 Museum was assured. Two days later, George M. 

 Pullman and Harlow N. Higinbotham each subscribed 

 one hundred thousand dollars, and Mrs. Mary D. 

 Sturges gave fifty thousand dollars. Holders of stock 

 in the World's Columbian Exposition gave shares to 

 a par value of one million, five hundred thousand 

 dollars. 



Several valuable collections were then purchased 

 and numerous gifts of exhibition material were re- 

 ceived. The first notable contribution of this character 

 was that of Mr. Edward E. Ayer, who presented his 

 anthropological collection valued at over one hundred 

 thousand dollars. 



The Palace of Art, most beautiful of the World's 

 Fair buildings, was secured as a temporary home for 



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