60 Report of the President 



MINERALS AND GEMS* 

 Herbert P. Whitlock, Curator 



Through the generosity of Mr. George F. Baker, who has 

 chosen this highly fitting means of honoring the memory of 

 _. M his friend and associate the late Mr. J. Pierpont 



Memorial Morgan, the Mineral Hall has been completely 



Hall of remodeled architecturally and will henceforth be 



Minerals designated as the Morgan Memorial Hall of 



and Gems Minerals and Gems. The work, which includes 

 a groined arch treatment of the ceiling, the encasing of the 

 columns in marble, thus converting them into piers, and the 

 closing of the lower portions of the windows on the south 

 side, has resulted in an increased dignity and attractiveness, 

 which, added to the better disposition of the lighting, now 

 renders this hall the most effective display space in the 

 Museum. 



The additional wall cases, installed along the south wall, 

 provide case room for the display of the large and striking 

 specimens, which were formerly shown in a series of low 

 free-standing cases, arranged in the central axis of the hall. 

 This change admits of the more effective display of these 

 specimens and permits the utilization of the middle section 

 of the hall for the display of the Morgan Gem Collection 

 which formerly occupied the west corridor, thus admitting 

 of a better lighting of this collection and placing it in better 

 and more logical relation to the Mineral collection. The 

 scheme of rearrangement includes the substitution of a new 

 type of high, free-standing case adjacent to the piers, thus 

 breaking the monotony of the large series of desk cases in 

 the main installation and producing an alcove effect at once 

 pleasing and interesting. This latter type of case, by provid- 

 ing more shelf room per unit of floor space, increases 

 the display capacity of the space devoted to the General Col- 

 lection. Three marble tablets, one set in the middle of the 

 south wall, the other two between the middle windows of 



* Under the Department of Mineralogy (see also pages 202 and 203). 



