REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I913 5 



NEW MUSEUM CASES 

 The contract for the new case equipment called for 384 cases of 

 28 different types. The general design and plans were worked out 

 by the scientific staff with special reference to their adaptation to 

 distinctive exhibits. These cases are now all completed and it may 

 be well to give herewith, as a matter of record, a brief notice of 

 the several types and styles of construction. In selecting the 

 materials for these cases, it was determined to avoid, so far as 

 possible, the use of metal. The action of the metal and the oak 

 cases under the conflagration conditions of the Capitol fire left 

 barely a choice in this matter, and after full consideration by the 

 Regents committee specially charged with the letting of the con- 

 tract, it was deemed wise to avoid metal except in the construction 

 of the cases for the herbarium. Wood and plate glass, being 

 determined upon as the essential construction materials, in order 

 to avoid monotony of color, mahogany was selected for the wood 

 in the cases for the Zoology, Paleontology and Archeology Halls, 

 ebonized cherry for the Geology and Mineralogy Halls. The fol- 

 lowing brief exposition of their composition and projection has 

 been prepared by Mr Whitlock. 



EXHIBITION AND STORAGE TYPES 



Type B. Cases of type B were designed primarily for the ex- 

 hibition of the general collection of minerals. They have, however, 

 been adopted throughout other sections of the Museum to such an 

 extent that over 50 per cent of the exhibition cases are included 

 under this type. Type B must therefore be regarded as a case 

 adapted to the combined display and storage of small or medium 

 sized objects which it is desirable to show in rows close enough 

 to the eye to admit of the objects being seen in detail. This 

 applies to small fossils, minerals, hand specimens of rock, shells, 

 birds' eggs and small archeological objects, such as pipes, bone 

 implements, etc. The design of this case was modified from 

 one in use in the mineralogical museum of Columbia University, 

 which in turn was derived from a style of case in the University 

 Museum at Prague. 



The exhibition space of this type case consists of a triangular 

 prism 5 feet long by 2 feet 3 inches wide by 2 feet 3 inches high, 

 the deck being raised to a level of 3 feet lYz inches from the floor 

 level. This exhibition space ig accessible by one single-panel lid 



