The Modern Museum 1 



By Charles. Louis Pollard 



The event to be celebrated on May 23 in the Borough Hall is 

 one of great importance and significance, not only to the Associa- 

 tion, but to the whole island community. The formal opening of 

 Staten Island's first public museum marks the fruition of hopes 

 which were entertained by the more sanguine members of the 

 old Natural Science Association at the time of its foundation 

 twenty-six years ago, but which for many years seemed destined 

 to disappointment. We. are indeed entering upon a new epoch 

 in our history, and it is a wonderful opportunity that is presented 

 to our grasp. I refer not merely to the educational possibilities 

 of the new institution, or to the position it will undoubtedly 

 assume as a center for both scientific and artistic interests. I 

 mean the opportunity we have here to develop a museum which 

 in proportion to its size shall take its proper place among the 

 progressive modern museums of the country. And so, on the 

 eve of our opening, it seems a fitting time to point out to members 

 of the Association what the modern museum is, how it has de- 

 veloped, and what it accomplishes. 



I do not propose to discuss the evolution of museums, as that 

 subject has recently been treated in a masterful manner by our 

 friend Mr. Lucas, of the Brooklyn Institute, in a small pamphlet 

 which should be read by every one interested in this subject. He 

 shows how three distinct types of collections have influenced the 

 growth of our present-day institutions ; the assemblage of curios- 

 ities and freaks such as were shown in Barnum's Museum and the 

 old Boston Museum ; the miscellaneous gatherings of private col- 

 lectors, usually illustrating some special branch of science or art ; 

 and the systematic collections kept for study by various societies 



1 Presented May 16, 1908. 



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