THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 27 



Mechanics' Institute, under the charge of Professor Whitaker ; and they 

 are still in possession of this society, and are not only valuable on ac- 

 count of the immediate use to which they are applied, but also in serv- 

 ing as patterns for imitation for other schools of a similar character. 



The Institution possesses, as has been stated in a previous report, a 

 valuable collection of engravings by the first masters ; but these have, 

 from the first, been deposited in drawers, and have therefore not been 

 accessible to the general visitor. It may be well, if the expense is not 

 too great, to have them placed in groups, under glass, in large frames, 

 and thus exhibited to all. 



Building. — The main building of the Smithsonian Institution is at 

 length completed. During the last six years, the wings, the connecting 

 ranges, and the apartments in the southern tower, have alone been occu- 

 pied. The unfinished condition of the edifice has undoubtedly pro- 

 duced an unfavorable impression on the numerous strangers who visit 

 the city of Washington. The object, however, of the delay, as has 

 been repeatedly stated in previous reports, was, first, that a more per- 

 manent building, and one better adapted to the uses of the Institution, 

 might be provided; and secondly, that funds might be saved from the 

 accruing interest to furnish an additional income sufficient at least to 

 defray the annual expense of so large and costly an edifice. Both 

 these objects have been attained. The interior of the building, instead 

 of being constructed of wood and plaster, as was originally intended, 

 has been finished with fire-proof materials; and improvements have 

 been made in the plan first adopted which render the edifice better 

 suited to the purposes for which it was intended. The first story con- 

 sists of one room 200 feet long and 50 feet wide, which can be divided 

 by a screen into two apartments, one of which may be devoted to the 

 library and the other to the museum. The second story is divided into 

 three spaces, the middle one of which is occupied by the great lecture 

 room, capable of containing 2.000 persons, and constructed on acous- 

 tic and optical principles. It is believed that this room is the most per- 

 fect of its kind in this country, and that it will serve as a model for 

 apartments of a similar character. The spaces adjoiningthe lecture room 

 east and west form rooms each fifty feet square, which may contain 

 cases around the walls for apparatus and other collections of objects of 

 art, and at the same time serve for meetings of societies or for lectures 

 to smaller audiences on special subjects. On the north side of the lec- 

 ture room, in the front towers, are rooms intended for the preparation 

 of the experimental illustrations of lectures, but which may be used as 

 committee rooms, while the large lecture room serves for the more pub- 

 lic addresses and exhibitions. 



The object kept in view in all the changes which have been made in 

 the original design of the building is its adaptation to purposes of 

 general interest, and particularly to the accommodation of conventions 

 and associations intended to promote knowledge or improve the arts of 

 life. 



During the past year a number of societies have availed themselve 

 of the facilities afforded by the Institution, and have held their session 

 in the Smithsonian building. The first was the United States Agricul- 

 tural Society, which continued its session for three days, with lectures 



