W0 



JT 



BULLETIN 



of the 



Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 



VOLUME X OCTOBER, 1910 No 1 



A DIRECTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUMS OF ART, 

 HISTORY, AND SCIENCE 



compiled by 



Paul Marshall Rea 



Secretary of the American Association of Museums 



INTRODUCTION 



At the third annual meeting of the American Association of 

 Museums, in 1908, the writer discussed the desirability of a directory 

 of American museums and presented a tentative outline of data 

 which might advantageously be included. 1 He was then authorized 

 to undertake the compilation of such a directory on behalf of the 

 Association, and the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences generously 

 offered to publish the work. To Mr. Henry R. Howland, Superin- 

 tendent of the Buffalo Society, the writer desires to acknowledge 

 indebtedness for many courtesies. 



The purpose of the directory is to bring together in convenient 

 form data regarding the organization and work of American museums, 

 with the object of promoting mutual aid and cooperation. It is 

 fully realized that statistics concerning collections can give only a 

 very imperfect indication of the importance of museums, but when 

 the character of the financial support and other details of organiza- 

 tion are also given it is possible to form a much closer estimate of 



1 See Proc. Am. Assoc. Mus., II, 1908, 33-35. 



