BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES III 



HISTORICAL SKETCH. The museum was incorporated February 

 3, 1870, to collect and exhibit works of fine art and to give instruction 

 in the fine arts. The first building on Copley Square was opened in 

 1876, enlarged in 1878 and 1888, and closed May 2, 1909. The pres- 

 ent building on the Fenway was opened November 15, 1909. 



FINANCIAL SUPPORT. The museum received the following 

 amounts applicable to current expenses during the year 1909 (from 

 May 2 to November 1 5 the museum was closed) : Income from endow- 

 ment, $48,391.07; annual subscriptions, $23,990; admission fees, 

 $1827.25; sales of catalogs, casts, etc., $1069.91. The expenses were 

 $82,322.93. Additions to the endowment of the museum for- mainte- 

 nance and other purposes amounted to $193,864.02. Contributions 

 for special current purposes amounted to $17,246.88. 



BUILDING. The present building was erected in 1907-9, on a lot 

 of twelve acres fronting the Fenway, at a cost of about $2,900,000, of 

 which about $1,200,000 represents the cost of the land and improve- 

 ments, $1,600,000 the cost of the building, and $100,000 the cost of 

 moving and installation. These expenditures have been defrayed 

 from the proceeds of the sale of the old building, about $1,750,000, 

 contributions from private individuals, about $600,000, and appropria- 

 tions from the museum endowment, about $500,000. The building 

 is planned as a part of a larger whole, to occupy the entire property, 

 and consisting of the museum proper, a hall of casts, and a school 

 building. The present building, about two-fifths of the future museum 

 proper, contains eight structurally separate departments, the main 

 floor being chiefly devoted to exhibitions historically arranged, and 

 the ground floor to reserve collections accessible!^ all visitors, and to 

 study and administration rooms, both floors being abundantly lighted, 

 mostly by high windows. The building affords 94,882 square feet of 

 floor space for primary exhibition purposes, and 82,437 for reserve 

 collections, offices, workrooms, etc. 



ADMINISTRATION. By a board of trustees, including representa- 

 tives of Harvard University and other institutions, the city, and the 

 state, acting through an executive committee whose chairman and 

 administrative officer is the director of the museum. There are also 

 visiting and advisory committees of citizens. 



SCOPE. The purposes of the museum are (i) to preserve works of 

 art in a special building from destruction and oblivion; (2) to impart 

 knowledge and skill in the field of fine art. 



The museum seeks to attain the first purpose by securing in its 

 building the best conditions of safety; further by providing exhibition 



