124 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



display, and it is often difficult to explain the circumstances which render 

 this impossible. It is no exaggeration to say that we now hold in our 

 possession not less than five times the amount of material for which we 

 have facilities for display, and a large part of this material is not even 

 readily accessible for study or research work. 



The library was thoroughly overhauled during the year and all material 

 for which there did not appear to be any immediate prospect of use was 

 removed to the Annex and placed in storage. A new case was purchased 

 in which our maps, posters, pictures, legal documents, etc., were properly 

 filed, and these may now be easily examined and consulted. The numerous 

 requests which were received for information relating to matters of local 

 history and antiquities rendered this absolutely necessary if we were to 

 supply the information desired either through the members of the museum 

 staff or by providing research and study facilities for visitors. 



Attendance 



The number of visitors to the Museum from May i, 1914, to April 30, 

 1915, during the hours when it was opened to the public, was 11,744. The 

 highest monthly attendance was 1,352, in March, 1915, and the highest 

 attendance on any one day was 203, on March 12, 1915. The highest holi- 

 day attendance was "jz, on Washington's Birthday. Christmas Day at- 

 tendance, as in previous years, was the lowest, 9. So far as any public 

 utility is concerned the Museum might as well be closed on this holi- 

 day; but as a matter of policy it is probably advisable to be able to say 

 that it is open every day in the year except Sundays, whether the public 

 is inclined to take advantage of the privilege or not. It may also be 

 pertinent to reiterate that these figures do not include the attendance at 

 the meetings of the Association, its sections and committees ; the Board 

 of Trustees and executive committee; or any of the outside organizations 

 that meet here regularly or occasionally in the evenings. Complete statis- 

 tics in regard to attendance are given in the appendix. 



The Museum as a Civic Center 



The Museum has continued to be a center for other public uses than 

 those of a museum, or as a meeting place for the Association. A number 

 of organizations have availed themselves of its conveniences as a meeting 

 place, and one in particular — the Bird Lovers' Club — did us the honor of 

 installing its bird house exhibit in tlie Museum, providing an interesting 

 and unique feature which attracted many visitors. Further details in con- 

 nection with the organizations which meet here are included in the 



appendix. 



The Museum as a Bureau of Information 



In addition to the thousands of casual visitors during the year, the public 

 in general makes use of tlio museum as a source of information on all 



