I. ORIGIN OF THE MUSEUM 



IOUIS AGASSIZ, the great Swiss naturalist, came to this country 

 in 1848 on a call to Harvard College, and his influence 

 -^ was immediate and far-reaching. One of his best gifts 

 was that of inspiring all who heard him with a love of natural 

 history. Among his many pupils at Cambridge was Albert S. Bick- 

 more, who studied under him for four years (1861-65) and who 

 caught his enthusiasm. Coming to New York in 1865 to arrange for 

 an exploring expedition into the Far East, funds for which had been 

 provided by New England friends, Mr. Bickmore made the acquaint- 

 ance of Mr. William Earle Dodge, 2d, and broached to him his plan 

 for a great museum of natural history in the metropolis. Such a 

 museum had been projected by Agassiz for Harvard College. 



After three years (1865-67) spent in the Dutch East Indies, 

 China, Japan, and Siberia, Mr. Bickmore, on his way home, stopped in 

 London where he showed Sir Richard Owen, Director of the British 

 Museum of Natural History, his plans for a natural history museum 

 in New York, which had been maturing during his long journey in the 

 East. Owen expressed general approval of the plan, thereby greatly 

 encouraging the young traveler. 



This general conception of a very large and comprehensive museum, 

 as developed through the action of the Trustees and the original 

 architects, Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Moulder, together with the 

 fortunate selection of the site of Manhattan Square, resulted in the 

 bold projection of the great American Museum building, one-third of 

 which is now completed. 



On his return from London, Mr. Bickmore again called upon Mr. 

 Dodge, who at that time was too much occupied with other matters 

 to give his personal attention to the new project, and therefore sent the 

 young man with a message to Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., in whom 



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