CONTRACT 



With the Department of Public Parks 



FOR THE OCCUPATION OF THE NEW BUILDING 



This Agreement, made and concluded on the twenty-second 

 day of December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and 

 seventy-seven, between the Department of Public Parks of 

 the City of New York, the party of the first part, and the 

 American Museum of Natural History, party of the second 

 part, witnesseth : 



Whereas, by an Act of the Legislature of the State of New 

 York, passed April 22d, 1876, entitled "An Act in relation to 

 the powers and duties of the Board of Commissioners of the 

 Department of Public Parks, in connection with the American 

 Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum 

 of Art," the said party of the first part is authorized and 

 directed to enter into a contract with the said party of the 

 second part, for the occupation by it of the buildings erected 

 or to be erected on that portion of the Central Park in the 

 City of New York, known as Manhattan Square, and for 

 transferring thereto and establishing and maintaining therein 

 its museum, library and collections, and carrying out the 

 objects and purposes of said party of the second part; and, 



Whereas, a building contemplated by said act has now been 

 erected and nearly completed and equipped in a manner suit- 

 able for the purposes of said Museum, as provided in the first 

 section of the Act of May 15, 1875, known as Chapter 351, 

 of the Laws of 1875, for the purpose of establishing and main- 

 taining therein the said Museum, as provided by the said last- 

 named act, and by the Act of April 5, 1871, known as Chapter 

 290, of the Laws of 1871 ; and, 



Whereas, it is desired as well by the said party of the first 

 part, as by the said party of the second part, that, immediately 



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