GENERAL GUIDE TO THE MUSEUM 

 INTRODUCTION 



The History and Work of the Museum 



THE Aiiierican Museuiii of Natural History was founded and incor- 

 porated in 18G9 for the purpose of establishing a Museum and 

 Library of Natural History; of encouraging and developing the 

 study of Natural Science; of advancing the general knowledge of kindred 



subjects and to that end, of furnishing popular instruction. 

 History _ . . . , . , . , . 



roT eight years its temporary home was in the Arsenal in 



Central Park. The corner stone of the present building in Manhattan 

 Square was laid in 1874 by President U. S. Grant, and in 1877 the first sec- 

 tion (South Central Wing) was completed. 



The IVIuseum is located at 77th Street and Central Park 

 West, and can be reached by the 8th or 9th Avenue surface 

 cars, the 6th or 9th Avenue elevated to 81st Street station, or by the sub- 

 way to 72nd or 79th Street station. The Museum is open 

 . , . . free every day in the year; on week days from 9 a. m. to 



5 p. M., on Sundays from 1 to 5 p. m. 

 The Museum building is one of the largest municipal structures in the 

 City, and has cost approximately $5,000,000. The South Fa9ade is 710 

 feet in length; the total area of the floor space is 470,789 square feet, or 

 about 10 acres, of which 271,886 square feet are open to the public. The 

 building when completed is designed to occupy all of Manhattan Square. 

 The building is erected and largely maintained by the City, through 

 the Department of Parks. Building funds are provided for 

 , g by issues of Corporate Stock, which have been made at 



intervals since 1871. The annual appropriation, known as 

 the Maintenance Fund, is devoted to the heating, lighting, repair and 

 supervision of the building and care of the collections. 



The Museum is under the control of a self-perpetuating Board of Trus- 

 tees, which has the entire direction of all its activities as w^ell as the guardian- 

 ship of all the collections and exhibits. The Trustees give their services 

 without remuneration. 



The funds which enable the Trustees to purchase specimens, to carry 

 on explorations and various forms of scientific work, to prepare and publish 

 scientific papers and to enlarge the library are raised by contributions from 

 the Trustees and other friends. These contributions come from three 

 sources — namely, (1) the Endowment Fund, (2) Membership Fund, (3) 

 voluntary subscriptions 



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