10 COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 



The Historic American portion was closed on the 31st of January. 



The following countries, named in alphabetical order, furnished ex- 

 hibits : Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Eica, Denmark, Ecuador, 

 Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Portugal, 

 Spain and her colonies, Sweden, United States, and Uruguay. The 

 total number of objects presented reached nearly two hundred thousand. 



The Exposition was held in the new and handsome building known 

 as &quot;ElPalacio de la Biblioteca y Museos Nacionales,&quot; its imposing 

 facade looking upon El Paseo de Eecoletos. The eastern entrance, the 

 one which, for its greater convenience, was habitually used by the 

 United States Commissioners, is on the Calle de Serrano. Entering 

 from thence the vestibule, the rooms assigned to the United States 

 exhibit were on the left, as will be seen by reference to the accompany 

 ing plan. There were six rooms in all, the largest being 37.60 meters 

 long by 14.30 meters wide and proportionately high. The total area of 

 the allotted space was 14,500 square feet. The first room of the series 

 was- intended as a reception room (PI. I). It was hung with tapes 

 tries, kindly supplied for the occasion from the royal palace; furnished 

 with figures and pictures from the United States National Museum 

 illustrative of Indian life; and was tastefully draped with the national 

 colors of Spain and Portugal, Italy, Austria, and the United States. 

 Passing through this the visitor came at once into the principal room 

 occupied by the exhibit of the National Museum. Immediately on the 

 right were the two rooms designated in the catalogue as the &quot; Icono- 

 grafia Colombina,&quot; consisting of a fine collection, made through energy 

 and enterprise of Mr. William E. Curtis, chief of the Bureau of Latin- 

 American Republics, of every available portrait of Columbus and pic 

 tures relating to his life and voyages. Originals were procured wherever 

 possible, and, in default of such, well executed reproductions. These 

 rooms were artistically decorated, and, from the rarity and unity of the 

 collection, attracted no little attention. 



Returning to the main srlon, indicated on the plan as No. 2, the 

 eye was at once arrested by the fine proportions of the room as well 

 as by the variety and extent of the exhibit. (Pis. II and III.) 



The excellence of the general arrangement was due to the large 

 experience and practical, as well as theoretical, knowledge of Dr. 

 George Brown Goode. The system of installation observed in the 

 National Museum, Washington, was adopted throughout, and proved 

 very effective. The principal object of interest found here was the 

 fine ethnological collection from the United States National Museum, 

 illustrative of the life of the American aborigines, and largely explan 

 atory of the prehistoric objects. It consisted of manikins and photo 

 graphs of the Indians, pictures of scenery, models of houses, weapons 

 and equipments of war and the chase, such as bows, arrows, quivers, 

 armor, daggers, clubs, spears, fishing lines, hooks, etc. There were 

 also objects connected with the preparation and serving of food and 



