OPERATIONS OF THE YEAR 



APPROPRIATIONS 



The maintenance of the National Museum for the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1924, was provided for in the following regular items 

 of appropriation carried in the executive and independent offices act 

 approved February 13, 1923: 



Preservation of collections $312, 500 



Furniture and fixtures 20, 000 



Heating and lighting 70, 000 



Building repairs 10, 000 



Books , 2, 000 



Postage , 500 



Printing and binding 37, 500 



452, 500 

 In addition a special item of $79,896 for increase of compensa- 

 tion of employees, or bonus, makes available a total appropriation 

 .of $532,396. 



In 1916 the appropriation of the Museum for all purposes was 

 $426,000. Since 1916 the Museum has increased its exhibition space 

 by the acquisition of the Aircraft Building, has materially enlarged 

 the scope of its collections in arts and industries and in history, and 

 has received over two and a quarter million additional specimens, 

 besides assuming certain definite responsibilities for the guarding 

 and upkeep of the Freer Building. As can be readily seen the differ- 

 ence in the appropriations of 1916 and 1924 hardly covers the added 

 cost of maintaining the buildings and guarding the collections, leav- 

 ing little or nothing toward providing expert assistance needed in 

 carrying out the fundamental requirement of the classification of the 

 added collections. The growth of the Museum in all directions con- 

 tinues to be increasingly restricted by its limited finances. Econo- 

 mies of all kinds are resorted to in making the appropriation pro- 

 vide first for the safe-keeping of the collections and then for their 

 classification and exhibition. 



In addition to the Government appropriations, the Museum has 

 profited this year, as heretofore, by the income from the Frances 

 Lea Chamberlain fund available for building up the Isaac Lea col- 

 lection of gems and gem material and the Isaac Lea collection of 

 mollusks, and by the income from the Morris Loeb fund in further- 



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