REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I917 19 



III 



PRESENT CONDITION AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MUSEUM 



The outstanding problem of the Museum is to adjust the growing 

 collections to fixed limitations of space. In this there is the ever 

 present danger of overcrowding, curtailing proper aisle space and 

 providing for freedom of movement over the floors on the frequent 

 occasions when the halls are thronged. Facing this problem, the 

 effort to meet it is by turning from the use of more floor space to the 

 utilization of the walls. Naturally the procedure grows increasingly 

 difficult, but the life of the Museum depends upon ignoring such 

 limitations even if we have to suspend collections from the rafters. 

 A finished museum is a dead one ; this Museum can not die as long 

 as the scientific corps behind it is pursuing its work and acquiring 

 new factors in the natural resources of the State. 



It is perfectly evident that before long, certainly in the clearer 

 light of the new order and more elevated ideals about to come, a 

 more adequate provision must be made for the housing of the State 

 Museum. It has lived decorously in the Education Building, but 

 under restraint. It needs its own house, its own atmosphere and 

 the fair chance to pursue its many activities and realize its own 

 ideals. 



Light screens. The control of the light in the great main hall 

 which receives its illumination only through skylights has been a 

 difficult problem to solve. This we believe to have been now well 

 taken care of by the installation throughout of panels specially 

 prepared of mercerized fabric vanes working together after the 

 mode of a Venetian blind and each panel easily adjustable from 

 beneath by compensating cords. The design is one furnished and 

 controlled by the Simon Ventilighter Company of New York, which 

 has installed the entire equipment. The zoology wing, which is 

 lighted in parts from the sides, has been equipped by the same 

 company with adjusted blinds of similar design which operate after 

 the style of curtains, not so easy to operate as the others, but with 

 reasonable effectiveness. 



Decoration of the Iroquois halls. There has been installed over 

 each of the arched main entrances to the Iroquois halls a lunette 

 representative of New York Indian life and tradition. At the east 

 entrance is the very effective " Sun Worshipers " and over the west 

 arch " The Coming of Hiawatha." These paintings are by David 





