28 Report of the President. 



tires of 1905, it does exceed the attendance of any other year. 

 This decrease may be explained in part by the omission of 

 the lectures for school children during the fall. As a result 

 the attendance of school children was only 24,000, as against 

 46,000 of the preceding year. About 45,000 people were 

 present at the public lectures. 



Repeatedly our attention has been called to the intelligent 

 character of those visiting the Museum. The average visitor 

 is seeking not merely amusement, but is ready and anxious to 

 gain as much information as possible. 



Associated Societies and Organizations. — Early in the 

 spring a reception was tendered to the Governor-General of 

 Canada and his wife, Earl and Countess Grey, which brought 

 to the Museum a notable gathering. After the formal recep- 

 tion, which was held in the Japanese Reception Room, the 

 guests visited the exhibition halls. 



On account of its accessibility and equipment, the Museum 

 is regarded as a desirable meeting place for various scientific 

 societies of the City and vicinity. The New York Academy 

 of Sciences and Affiliated Societies hold their meetings here, 

 and our lecture rooms are in great demand for use by visiting 

 classes from public and private schools. 



In May, representative museum men from all over the 

 United States and Canada met at the Museum for the purpose 

 of organizing the American Association of Museums, the 

 object of which is "to promote the welfare of museums, 

 to increase and diffuse knowledge of all matters relating to 

 them, and to encourage helpful relations among museums and 

 those interested in them." 



The New York Academy arranged for an exhibition during 

 "Convocation Week" of December, to show the recent prog- 

 ress that had been made in science. The Museum set aside 

 the Siberian Hall and part of the west Indian Hall for the use 

 of the Academy during the exhibition. 



The Geological Society of America and the American 

 Palaeontok»gical Society were also entertained at the Museum 

 during "Convocation Week." 



