Attendance 49 



REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR AND CURATORS 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 

 Frederic A. Lucas 



In the Report for 1919 the President stated that the Museum 

 was going backward; to the Director it would seem that the 

 situation is that of a vessel voyaging through Arctic ice; her 

 progress is impeded; it is not possible to proceed in a direct 

 line, but here and there a lead opens, and by taking advantage 

 of each opportunity that offers, there is steady though slow 

 and indirect progress toward the desired point. Thus it has 

 been with the Museum during the past year; there are many 

 things that we would have liked to do but could not; on the 

 other hand many improvements have been made in all parts 

 of the Museum. For if it be not possible to increase collec- 

 tions on exhibition, it is always possible to improve them by 

 substitution, rearrangement, better methods of display, or, 

 most important of all, by better labeling. 



Excellent illustrations of what can be thus accomplished are 

 shown in the various halls devoted to Mammals, where Mr. 

 Coleman has given much time to improving the appearance of 

 the exhibits by changes in installation, replacement of pedestals 

 and changes in the mounting and placing of labels. Much 

 attention has been given to the use of good-sized type and 

 placing labels where they can be seen. Perhaps the most com- 

 mon fault in labels is the use of too small type. It is frequently 

 necessary to sacrifice appearance to utility, but it is a waste of 

 time to write and print a label and then place it where it can 

 be read with difficulty. 



It is pleasant to report that the attendance during the past 



year has been the largest in the history of the Museum ; this is 



especially gratifying as it accords with the Direc- 



tor s belief and experience that any real and 



permanent gain in attendance must come through the character 



