4 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



VI Report on the Division of Archeology and Ethnology 

 VII Report on the Publications of the Department for the Year 

 VIII Report on the Collection of Coins and Medals 

 IX Staff of the Department 

 X Accessions to the Collections 

 XI Appendixes (to be continued in subsequent volumes) 



I 

 CONDITION OF THE NEW MUSEUM 



The entire energy of this staff has been given, during the past 

 year, almost without reserve, to the equipment of the Museum halls 

 and offices. The transfer of the collections from the State Hall, 

 Geological Hall, Universalist church, Taylor brewery (storehouse) 

 and other buildings which had been utilized for storage, began in 

 October last and the process of moving continued throughout the 

 winter. It was unavoidable that in spite of every precaution in 

 such removal, a state of confusion should ensue, and even the 

 temporary arrangement of this great accumulation of scientific 

 material in such form as to make it accessible for installation and 

 orderly storage made the utmost demands on the industry and 

 patience of the staff. Every man has given his best service to the 

 relief of conditions which constantly exacted laborious manual 

 work and unremitting good nature. 



At the time of this removal there were no cases in which the 

 collections could be installed or stored except the few brought over 

 from other buildings, which it was the intention to use temporarily. 

 Boxes, crates, barrels and drawers were piled up on the bare floors, 

 with such attempts at arrangement as could be made under the 

 urgent pressure of a moving contract. In March the parts of the 

 new Musuem cases which have been under construction by George 

 W. Cobb, jr, were delivered and final assembling of them has con- 

 tinued throughout the year. These conditions falling together made 

 the problems of installation peculiarly trying, requiring the un- 

 packing of the materials while there was no case room available 

 for them. But the selection and preparation of the collections pro- 

 ceeded with such temporary expedients as could be devised while 

 the construction of the cases went on with the deliberation essential 

 to good workmanship. 



