REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 5 



doubtedly grow up, which shall tend to educate the public taste, aud to 

 promote, so far as possible, the study of the elements of art and the 

 history of civilization, as well as to forward the growth of the arts of 

 design. This having been accomplished, the attention of the Museum 

 should be directed mainly toward the exhibition of the geology and 

 natural history of America, and its natural resources, to the preserva- 

 tion of memorials of its aboriginal inhabitants, and to the exposition 

 of the arts and industries of America. 



In referring to the industries of America it is not intended to recom- 

 mend that anything similar to what is generally understood as an u in- 

 dustrial exhibition" should be attempted. The element of competitive 

 display should not be admitted, and no two objects of precisely similar 

 import should ever be placed side by side. 



As early as 1851, the scope of the Museum was considered to be a 

 question of great importance ; but even now it is perhaps too early to 

 speak definitely in regard to the nature of its future development. The 

 first Secretary of the Institution, Professor Henry, was opposed to the 

 accumulation of extensive collections at the expense of the Smithsonian 

 fund. He did not underrate the importance of great collections, but, on 

 the contrary, deemed it the duty of the Institution to point out the means 

 by which they might be made, and to aid in this work by utilizing all 

 opportunities for procuring specimens for distribution, by facilitating 

 exchanges, and by assisting explorations. He considered the formation 

 of a general collection, although beyond the means of the Institution at 

 that time, an object which ought to engage the attention of Congress, 

 and was firmly convinced that in accepting donations of specimens, 

 preference should be given to those of importance for use in scientific 

 research, the study of which was likely to produce new and interesting 

 results. Professor Baird, taking up the same ad ministrative problem 

 at a later period, and finding the conditions greatly changed, has 

 forwarded enthusiastically the progress of the National Museum, sup. 

 ported as it now is by direct grants of money from the general Gov- 

 ernment. With the experience of these years it has become evident 

 that the National Museum of the United States will of necessity have 

 features peculiar to itself, developed in response to the peculiar needs 

 of the people of this continent. It should be remembered that the na- 

 tional collections of every principal European nation are divided into 

 several groups, each under separate administration, though often within 

 the general control of some central authority. In France, for instance, 

 most of the museums are under the Ministry of Public Instruction, and 

 in England, to a less extent, under the Department of Science and Art. 



In London, in Paris, in Berlin, and in Vienna the public collections 

 are scattered through various parts of the city, in museums with dis- 

 tinctive names, and independent in their organizations. Much of the 

 work which should properly be done by such museums is omitted, be- 

 cause no one of them has seen fit to undertake it; while, on the other 



