576 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 68. 



MUSEUM METHODS. 



ON THE AKEANGEMENT OF GREAT PALEONTO- 



LOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 



A MUSEUM is defined by Dr. Goode as 

 " an institution for the preservation of those 

 objects which best illustrate the phenomena 

 of nature and the works of man, and utiliz- 

 ation of these for the increase of knowledge 

 and for the culture and enlightenment of 

 the people." * 



The fundamental principles or aims of a 

 museum having been defined, it is neces- 

 sarj' to consider next in what manner col- 

 lections of fossils may be arranged to fulfill 

 these objects. The primary purposes are 

 manifestly two: namely, to interest and in- 

 struct the general jniblic, and to facilitate the 

 researches of the student of extinct life. The 

 latter class of museum visitors is composed 

 of two kinds: namely, faunal geologists, or 

 students of historical geology, and paleobi- 

 ologists, or students of general biological 

 phenomena. 



. " It is necessary to bear in mind," writes 

 Sir Henrj'^ Howorth, " that it is a mistake 

 to deal with mineralogy and paleontology 

 as if they were sub-sections of geology," 

 since "the great bulk of paleontological re- 

 mains do not appertain to geology at all, 

 but to the special provinces of zoology and 

 botany, "f This principle has long been ac- 

 cepted in the TJ. S. National Museum, and 

 for many years the paleontological collec- 

 tions have been completely severed fi:-om the 

 geological collections. In the Department 

 of Geology there is, however, a small col- 

 lection of fossils with samples of the rocks 

 in which they are found, in order that the 

 student of geology may learn to know read- 

 ily the characteristic fossils of each sj'stem 



*Tbe Relationship and Responsibilities of Museums, 

 by G. Bro^vn Goode. (Science, Vol. II, new ser., p. 

 198, Aug., 1895. ) 



tSome Casual Thoughts on Museums, by Sir Henry 

 Howorth. (Natural Science, Vol. VII., p. 323, Nov., 

 1895. ) 



and the time of iutroduction of all the lead- 

 ing types of animals and plants. This col- 

 lection is at present made up of American 

 fossils, but it is intended to obtain from 

 every province all specimens necessary to 

 illustrate the second object of this, the ' His- 

 torical Collection.' 



THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 



This is the largest class of museum 

 visitors, but the one least interested directly, 

 so it need be shown only a series of speci- 

 mens properly prepared for exhibition. 

 " A museum is rarely justified in exhibiting 

 all its materials. An exhibition series, 

 when properly installed, is more efi"ective 

 when limited than when extensive." * To 

 interest the public the exhibition series 

 should be mounted in an attractive manner 

 and made intelligible by descriptive labels. 

 Only good and well-cleaned fossils, yet not 

 too many species, should be shown, since 

 otherwise a rapid survey of the specimens 

 grouped around the descriptive labels is not 

 attainable. Drawings or prints should, 

 when possible, accompany small fossils, 

 and occasionally a crushed specimen may 

 be made comprehensible by introducing a 

 restoration or the shells of living, but closely 

 related forms. 



STUDENTS. 



On the other hand, students and original 

 investigators must have consideration of a 

 quite different kind. Since this small but 

 critical class of museum visitors has objects 

 distinct from those of the general public, it 

 will be necessary to arrange collections so 

 as to satisfy the needs of both. The general 

 public should be interested and instructed, 

 while the student requires an orderly ar- 

 rangement of material to facilitate ready 

 reference. 



An exhibition series is primarily intended 



* Recent advance in Museum Method, by 6. 

 Brown Goode. (Smithsonian Report. U. S. National 

 Museum, p. 57, 1893. ) 



