Anthropology yyi 



seeks the museum for his researches. That which is not 

 seen by the visitor is carefully preserved and freely placed 

 before the special investigator. All great museums are trea- 

 sure-houses to the student, repositories of unworked ma- 

 terial awaiting the advent of specialists. The Smithsonian 

 Institution thus draws visitors to the objects installed, and 

 special students to the rich collections stored in appropriate 

 places. Much of the material is unique, can never be dupli- 

 cated, and so long as it lasts will draw to this Mecca of 

 anthropologists both the sightseer and the investigator. 



Although there are many sides to the discussion of the 

 question of the influence of the installations of the anthro- 

 pological material in the Smithsonian Institution, I can men- 

 tion but one or two points germane to this subject. One 

 aim of a museum collection is to attract and to teach the 

 public something. Every museum strives to accomplish this 

 object, but the means used often vary. In certain directions 

 the work of the Smithsonian Institution in the installation of 

 ethnological and archaeological material is unique. 



The value of models is recognized by all curators, and 

 these representations have been used with great success in 

 all the foremost museums of the world. The Smithsonian 

 Institution had before it an exceptional problem in developing 

 this side of its anthropological exhibit. Peculiar conditions 

 presented themselves to those in charge of the illustration of 

 American ethnology and archaeology. While models were 

 considered indispensable, there were no models in existence 

 to illustrate aboriginal American life. European workmen, 

 adepts in their craft, were unfamiliar with our Indians, and 

 their attempts to represent them were often caricatures. 

 American modelers had not yet turned their attention to this 

 line of work when the Smithsonian Institution adopted the 

 method and carried it to a high perfection. An Indian group 



