262 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. — 1915. 



Museums. — Interim Report of the Committee, consisting of 

 Professor J. A. Green (Chairman), Mr. H. Bolton and 

 Dr. J. A. Clubb (Secretaries), Dr. Bather, Mr. C. 

 BucKMASTBR, Mr. E. Gray, Professor S. F. Harmer, 

 Mr. M. D. Hill, Dr. W. E. Hoyle, Professors E. J. 

 Garwood and P. Newberry, Sir Eichard Temple, Mr. 

 H. H. Thomas, Professor F. E. Weiss, Dr. Jessie White, 

 Kev. H. Browne, Drs. A. C. Haddon and H. S. Harrison, 

 Mr. Herbert R. Rathbone, and Dr. W. M. Tattersall, 

 appoi)ited to examine the Character, Work, and Main- 

 tenance of Museums. 



The Committee reports that during the year it has carried out extensive 

 inquiries upon various aspects of museums in relation to Education. 

 Sectional Reports upon the museum needs of school children, students, 

 and the general pubUc have been drawn up by sub-committees, and 

 afterwards issued to all the members. 



Dr. F. A. Bather and Mr. H. H. Thomas attended the meetings of 

 the Congres de 1' Association Francaise at Havre, and conferred with 

 French representatives upon subjects covered by the terms of reference 

 of the Committee. Dr. Bather also communicated a paper upon the 

 ' Commission de 1 'Association Britannique sur les Musees.' 



Mr. H. Bolton and Dr. W. M. Tattersall visited the chief Australian 

 and American museums during the course of their overseas journey to 

 and from Australia last year. In every instance they received a warm 

 welcome from their colleagues and all possible assistance in pursuing 

 their inquiries. The American museums proved especially profitable, 

 as in numerous cases a thorough co-operation has existed for years 

 between the museums and every grade and kind of educational effort. 



A lengthy questionnaire was prepared by the Committee in the 

 hope of its adoption by the House of Lords for departmental issue to 

 all museums. Owing to the war, this was not possible, and the question- 

 naire was therefore issued bythe Committee on its own responsibility to 

 all provincial museums in the British Isles. About one hundred and 

 forty replies have been received, and are now under consideration. 



A special questionnaire upon classical education in relation to 

 museums has also been issued. 



A joint conference between the Committee and the Museums Associa- 

 tion was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, on July 9, 

 when Professor J. A. Green introduced the question of the museum in 

 relation to schools. Attention is also being directed to the question of 

 the relation of museums to universities. 



The Committee hopes to complete its labours during the course 

 of the coming year, and asks to be reappointed with a grant of 15^. , 

 and -with the addition to its number of Sir Henry Miers, F.R.S. 



