126 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1919. 



Report of Secretary and Dr. W. M. Tattersall upon Overseas 



Museums. 



Introductory Note. 



Mr. Bolton and Dr. Tattersall were requested by the Committee 

 to take advantage of the British Association Meeting in Australia to 

 visit museums in the States and Australia, and to draw up a report 

 thereon for the Committee's use. The following is an abstract of 

 their report :- — 



Australian Museums. 



West Australian Museum and Art Gallery. 



Lectures are given by request upon museum collections on stated 

 days to schools and classes. 



A few museum lectures are delivered annually. 



Special student series of specimens, furnished with explanatory 

 labels, are now being set up. 



Adelaide Museum. 

 Public lectures occasionally, but no definite educational scheme. 



Australian Museum, Sydney. 



Students and pupils of public and private schools and colleges 

 are admitted by an-angement on Monday afternoons, and facilities 

 for study given. 



Evening lectures. 



Technological Museum, Sydney. 



No lectures are given in connection with the museum, but the 

 specimens in the museum are lent to illustrate lectures given in the 

 local technical colleges and lessons upon Nature study in the public 

 schools. 



Queensland Museum, Brisbane. 



(1) Elementary. — Certain members of the scientific staff — chosen 

 for this purpose — deliver elementary lectures and give demonstrations, 

 with specimens, to classes not exceeding thirty students. Special 

 afternoons are also allotted to junior classes of all grades to visit the 

 galleries for the purpose of definite work, and a guide is placed at 

 their disposal whenever one is desired. 



(2) Secondary. — The remarks made under ' Elementary ' apply also 

 to this section, except that the lectures are of a more advanced 

 character, and more care is taken in the selection of specimens, which, 

 if opportunity permits, are handed round to each individual student. 



(3) Higher Education. — The work in this respect is similar to that 

 of the Universities, except that the staff are unable to give students 

 any large amount of personal attention — rare instances excepted. 



(4) Research. — Every facility is given for research, both to visiting 

 students and members of the museum staff. Some of the latter are 

 able to carry on solid work of this kind for the greater part of the year. 



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