788 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



The Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum. 

 — The will of Smithson in founding this institution contained but 

 one proviso regarding its organization, that it was to be " for the 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge." The museum feature was 

 purely incidental : specimens were sent, accompanying questions 

 that were addressed to the institution ; they were preserved, and 

 with the collection of birds brought by Baird from the Pacific 

 Railroad expedition formed the beginning of a museum. These 

 objects, growing rapidly in number at the return of each expedi- 

 tion, were taken care of in the Smithsonian building, until the 

 large gifts received from many foreign governments and private 

 exhibitors at the Centennial Exposition in 1876 made it necessary 

 to erect a separate building, which is now known as the National 

 Museum. 



Prof. Goode, who was wisely placed in charge of the collection, 

 secured at once the assistance of volunteer curators to supplement 

 the museum staff, and with their co-operation elaborated and per- 

 fected a scheme which may be called, in its fruition, an Anthropo- 

 logical Kindergarten. Prof. Goode considers as the central point 

 Man, and aims to illustrate as far as possible the development of 

 everything that contributes to his welfare, comfort, or amuse- 

 ment, that is hurtful or beneficial to him, or that affects his moral 

 or aesthetic nature. No monstrosity finds a place, nor does any 

 object of sentimental association receive a welcome. 



The first successful attempt to embrace the whole science of 

 anthropology under one systematic classification was made by 

 Prof. O. T. Mason. Its adoption as the basis for the Smithsonian 

 exhibit at the Centennial gave to it the importance it deserves. It 

 is, with such modifications as its practical application have sug- 

 gested, now followed in the National Museum, where Prof. Mason 

 has charge of the department of anthropology, and has given to 

 the Anthropological Society of Washington its principal divisions. 



The science of anthropology is now divided between the Na- 

 tional Museum and the Army Medical Museum, in contiguous 

 buildings, as follows : All specimens belonging to the biological 

 side of the science, collected by the National Museum, are placed 

 in the Army Medical Museum. This includes anatomy, physi- 

 ology, embryology, anthropometry, and kindred topics. 



On the other hand, all specimens illustrative of languages, 

 arts, sociology, customs, beliefs, etc., of man, gathered by the 

 army, are deposited in the National Museum. In this way, the 

 two institutions work in harmony, and do not duplicate each 

 other's work. 



The division of anthropology in the National Museum is 

 organized into departments of the Arts and Industries of Man- 

 kind, in which are included, in their several sections, medicinal 



