GENERAL GUIDE TO THE flUSEUH 



INTRODUCTION 



THE American Museum of Natural History was founded and incor- 

 porated in L869 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. 

 For 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 1S77 the first sec- 

 tion (South Central Pavilion) was completed. 



The Museum 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 subway 



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

 Hours of , ,, , . ,. „ 



. , everv day m the vear; on week (lavs trom \> a. M. too P. M., 



Admission ,"'.'. 



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 85,000,000. The South Facade 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 Museum is under the control of a self-perpetuating Board of Trus- 

 Administra- tees, which has absolute control of all property of the Museum 

 tion and and the entire direction of its activities. The Trustees give 



Support their services without remuneration. 



The Museum building is erected by the City and leased to the Trustees. 

 The Museum derives its chief financial support from four sources: 



1. The City, which provides annually an appropriation ($189,757 in 

 1911) for the maintenance of the building and the exhibition of the collec- 

 tions. Such appropriations are not available however for purchase of 

 specimens, carrying on of field work or publication of scientific papers. 



2. Endowment, a total of 82,3(55,750 (1911), which yields an annual 

 income of 8109,540. 



3. Membership, there being at present more than 2000 Members each 

 contributing annually 810 or more for the support of the Museum. Mem- 

 bership fees total approximately 825,000 per year, and are used for the 

 purchase of specimens, for exploration and for publication. 



4. Voluntary contributions of Trustees and other friends of the Museum, 

 which are more than 880,000 for the year 1911. 



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