HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM 



Fortunately the original plan of the American Museum by Calvert 

 Vaux in 1873, of a great square with intersecting transepts, admirably 

 provides for such sequence — both geographical and evolutionary. In 

 fact, with all the advance which has been made in the construction 

 and design of museum buildings, within the last thirty years, nothing 

 superior to the ground plan of the American Museum has been devised. 

 This is a most fortunate circumstance. It was undoubtedly arrived 

 at accidentally — one of those happy accidents which relieves the Trus- 

 tees of a mass of difficulties and embarrassments from which other in- 

 stitutions are suffering. 



BASEMENT. — The new Basement Entrance provides not only for 

 the central distribution of fuel, but also for a receiving and distributing 

 department of everything which enters and leaves the Museum, replac- 

 ing the present South Entrance. A level trolley and track system will 

 connect the receiving department with the entire basement area, and 

 thus with all the stairways and elevators which may be constructed. 

 In the basement all the work of mechanics, painters, carpenters, and 

 joiners is provided for, as well as comfortable rooms for the employes 

 between hours. Provision is made also for the reception and storage 

 of large collections, casts, etc., in a rough state, and certain rough 

 grades of preparation work. The heating and lighting plant will be 

 placed economically south of the West Transept. 



FIRST FLOOR.— The first floor will be devoted on the east side 

 to certain physical and biological branches of science, and on the 

 west to American Anthropology especially of North America. It will 

 be appropriate to devote the FOYER, after the removal of the meteor- 

 ites and the planetary system, entirely to memorials of the Trustees, 

 of prominent members of the Scientific Staff, and of men distinguished 

 in the history of American science. 



The scientific sequence of this floor will be understood by beginning 

 with ASTRONOMY in the Rotunda, in which, in a darkened hall, 

 photographs of the heavens will be displayed by transmitted light, as 

 explained above. The adjoining East Transept and East Entrance 



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