BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES l6l 



The following collections are loaned to Washington University and 

 deposited by it in the City Art Museum: 4 pieces of textiles; 2 bronze 

 busts; 21 architectural drawings; 5 pieces of statuary and marble; 125 

 modern casts; 4 pieces of bronze; 2 suits of armor; 189 original drawings; 

 5 cases of ceramics; 1 case of Indian objects; 80 oil paintings; and 15 

 water colors. 



Historical Sketch. The City Art Museum originated in 1909 

 as a reorganization of the St. Louis Museum of Fine Arts, which was 

 in turn organized in 1879. The collections purchased by the museum 

 represent an expenditure of $33,416. The larger part of the material 

 now in the museum is deposited by the art department of Washington 

 University as enumerated above. 



Financial Support. The City Art Museum is a city institu- 

 tion and receives by law the returns from a special tax of one-half 

 mill on the dollar. The city had a population in 1909 of 761,802 and 

 an assessed value for 1910 of over $500,000,000. This special tax 

 amounts to about $120,000 a year and as the maintenance of the 

 museum at present costs but about $75,000 a year the museum has 

 acceded to a request of the city officials that the tax be passed for the 

 year 1910. 



Building. The building occupied by the museum was erected 

 in 1903-4 by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company as the 

 "Art Palace" of the World's Fair, at a cost of $943,000. It is now 

 owned by the city and occupied by the museum as a tenant-at-will. 

 It affords 560.000 square feet of floor space all on one floor. It con- 

 tains a total of 34 galleries varying in size from 15x17 to 50x90 feet, 

 and in the center a sculptural court 60 x 150 feet surrounded by alcoves 

 18x36 feet. 



Administration. By a director, responsible to a board of con- 

 trol appointed by the mayor of the city. 



Scope. In addition to the maintenance of its permanent collec- 

 tions the museum has held 25 special exhibitions of paintings and 

 sculpture during the year 1909, the total number of exhibits being 

 1773. Special attention is devoted to the acquisition of a collection 

 illustrating the development of American art. 



Attendance. Open free to the public daily from 10 to 5. The 

 attendance for the year 1908-9 was 80,389; for the year 1909-10, 

 113,030. The largest attendance in one day was 14,911, Sunday, 

 October 3, 1909, between the hours of 1 znc 1 5. 



