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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1076 



them. Among institutions supported hy 

 public funds several state museums -which 

 are doing work of great importance should 

 also be mentioned. 



To the beneficence of single donors has 

 been largely due the founding of such mu- 

 seums as the Peabody, Field and Carnegie 

 Museums. Such gifts as well as those of 

 private individuals to museums already 

 established show an interest on the part of 

 individuals which has been in advance of 

 that of the general public. 



The natural history museums of Canada 

 have developed chiefly under governmental 

 or university auspices, and we are glad to 

 note that increased appreciation and sup- 

 port seem to be accorded them in recent 

 years. 



The National Museum of Mexico has an 

 excellent natural history section in which 

 important material is preserved. Most 

 South American countries maintain natural 

 history museums, especially in their cap- 

 itals, those of Brazil, Argentina and Chile 

 being especially worthy of mention. 



An endeavor to establish natural history 

 museums and collections especially adapted 

 to the interests of children has marked a 

 new line of progress in recent years. The 

 results have been very gratifying and prom- 

 ise wide usefulness. The purpose of such 

 museums was well stated when m the plan 

 of the Children's Museum of Brooklyn it 

 was said that its purposes were "to form 

 an attractive resort for children with influ- 

 ences tending to refine their tastes and ele- 

 vate their interests ; to create an attractive 

 educational center of daily assistance to 

 pupils and teachers in connection with 

 school work; and to offer new subjects of 

 thought for pursuit in leisure hours." 

 Through a somewhat similar movement 

 there has been brought about in many local- 

 ities close connection between natural his- 

 tory museums and school work. This move- 



ment also seems destined to greatly increase 

 the usefulness of natural history museums 

 since it widens their appeal and brings 

 about an acquaintance of the child with the 

 museum which is likely to be an abiding and 

 elevating influence. 



The wide-spread public interest and sup- 

 port accorded to natural history museums 

 which we have noted as occurring in recent 

 j'ears seem to mark a new era in their his- 

 tory. In earlier years these museums, 

 partly perhaps because of the auspices 

 under which they were founded, addressed 

 their appeal chiefly to the learned and the 

 specialist. They either did not endeavor 

 to develop or did not succeed in developing 

 wide public interest. Such an attitude was 

 unfavorable both to the museums themselves 

 and to the public. It tended to make the 

 museums mere storehouses for the accumu- 

 lation of material, and it gave the public an 

 unfavorable opinion of their possibilities. 

 Much of the awakening which I have noted 

 as having taken place has no doubt had its 

 origin in the labors of museum workers 

 themselves, since they, with marked origi- 

 nality and enthusiasm, have shown what 

 possibilities in the way of education and 

 recreation lay in museums and their con- 

 tents. Sir Hans Sloane's principle of the 

 desirability of establishing museums where 

 there is a "great confluence of people" 

 seems also a sound one, since it is in such 

 museums that the most marked develop- 

 ment has taken place in the past quarter 

 century. This does not mean that splendid 

 work is not being done by museums in 

 smaller communities, but simply that, since 

 larger communities have as a rule larger 

 opportunities, they may obtain greater re- 

 sults when they improve these opportunities. 

 Next to what may be called the democra- 

 tization of natural history museums per- 

 haps the most significant feature of their 

 development in the last quarter century 



