FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



To the Trustees and Members of The American Museum of 

 Natural History, and to the Municipal Authorities of the 

 City of New York : 



The President has the honor to submit herewith his fifth 

 annual report on the general development of the Museum. 

 The internal progress during the year 191 1 is outlined in the 

 included reports by the Director and the Curators and Officers 

 in charge, together with recommendations relating to various 

 departments. 



The chief aim of the administration has been to enhance 

 the educational influence of our exhibition halls through 

 rearrangement of the collections along the lines of the General 

 Plan* published in 1910, through labeling, through the issuing 

 of a General Guide and especially through care of the interests 

 of teachers and pupils of the public schools. Increased atten- 

 tion also has been given to the proper publication of the work 

 of the Museum in the newspapers, which have shown intelli- 

 gent and helpful response ; full and accurate press reports of 

 our work are now among the chief agencies of the spread of 

 science in the City. 



It is chiefly due to these educational efforts that the attend- 

 ance at the Museum has increased within the year by 100,000; 

 that the attendance at lectures has risen to nearly 90,000; that 

 the number of pupils visiting the Museum for study and 

 attendance at lectures has increased to 34,054, and that the 

 number of pupils studying the circulating collections has 

 increased by over 300,000, reaching the unprecedented total 

 °f 1,253,435. 



Public approval of the Museum's work is shown also by the 

 enrolment of 347 new Members, the total membership now 

 being 2,652. 



The scientific and research, side of the Museum's work, 

 which underlies and gives life and novelty to the popular edu- 



* History, Plan and Scope of The American Museum of Natural History, submitted 

 at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees, February 14, IQIO, adopted by the Board 

 on May 8, iqn. 



