22 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



One of the most important features to be recorded in the opera- 

 tions of the National Museum during the year was the actual begin- 

 ning of the building for the Charles L. Freer Art Collections. 

 Excavation was started on October 2, 1916, and by June 30, 1917, 

 the foundations and concrete walls inclosing the subbasement had 

 been completed. The structure, covering 228 by 185 feet, will be 

 of Milford granite and in exterior and interior design best adapted 

 to its purpose. Assistant Secretary Rathbun in the appendix to the 

 present report gives some interesting details regarding this addition 

 to the Smithsonian group of buildings. The construction of this 

 art building is made possible through the most generous gift of 

 $1,000,000 by Mr. Freer for the housing and study of the magnificent 

 collection he has presented to the Nation. His gift of the building 

 and collection is the most valued donation which any individual has 

 ever made to the Government. 



The accessions to the National Museum collections during the year 

 aggregated about 200,000 specimens pertaining to anthropology, 

 zoology, botany, geology and mineralogy, paleontology, textiles and 

 woods, mineral technology, and objects of art. In his report Assis- 

 tant' Secretary Rathbun enumerates the sources and importance of 

 these accessions, so that it is not necessary here to do more than to 

 mention some of the principal items. Interesting collections of 

 anthropological objects were received from the island of Celebes, 

 gathered at the expense of Dr. W. L. Abbott, who for many years has 

 most generously contributed toward the growth of the Museum in 

 ethnological and biological material from various parts of the world. 

 Dr. Abbott personally visited the West Indies during the year and 

 met with gratifying success in adding to our knowledge of the 

 early history of man and of the fauna of that region. A large col- 

 lection of stone implements belonging to the ancient town builders 

 of Mexico was received through Capts. Wright and Cooper of Gen. 

 Pershing's expedition, and extensive archeological collections from 

 the Southwestern States were gathered by Dr. Fewkes and others 

 connected with the Bureau of American Ethnology. Hundreds of 

 objects of great value in the study of physical anthropology came to 

 the museum as the result of explorations by Dr. Hrdlicka and others 

 in Peru. 



To the division of American history memorials were added per- 

 taining to eminent military and naval men and other prominent 

 Americans and objects commemorative of historic events, besides 

 costumes, furniture, and other articles illustrative of colonial and 

 later periods. 



