Industrial Use of Museum Collections 15 



Not infrequently specimens from the study collections have been 

 placed in the classroom for special study. 



A new sphere for the utilization of Museum specimens in indus- 

 trial education has been developed recently by the Department of 

 Anthropology. Students of design have been 

 industrial use encouraged to seek their inspiration in Museum 

 of museum collections showing the decorative arts of primi- 



collections t j[ ve peoples. The movement was started about 



seventeen years ago, and each year has seen an 

 increase in the number of those who have availed themselves of the 

 opportunity. Some of the artists who come are not attached to any 

 school, but the greater part are from the public schools of New York 

 City, Teachers College (Columbia University), Hunter College, 

 Cooper Union, New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, Keramic 

 Society of Greater New York, Ethical Culture School, School of 

 Applied Design for Women, and Pratt Institute. 



Two rooms are reserved for the use of designers, to whom 

 unusual facilities for study are offered. Garments, pieces of cloth, 

 pottery, baskets, and other objects illustrating primitive arts are 

 placed on tables; books from the Museum Library that have proved 

 most helpful are kept at hand; and often students are permitted to 

 go to the storerooms to make their own selection of materials. From 

 time to time, Mr. Charles W. Mead, Assistant Curator of Anthro- 

 pology, who has charge of the Peruvian Hall, arranges for exhibitions 

 of designs suggested by the arts of ancient Peru, while Mr. M. D. C. 

 Crawford, Research Associate in Textiles, conducts classes and plans 

 contests for professional and non-professional artists. 



During the war, many designers who formerly m le Paris their 

 headquarters were forced to remain in this country. They turned 

 to the Museum's collections for inspiration and gave the movement 

 great impetus. The results may be seen in the designs of silks, car- 

 pets, rugs, bead bags, wall paper, and ceramics of some of the fore- 

 most manufacturing concerns in America. They give promise that 

 in the near future there will be an American school of design. 



The possibility of the wide educational influence of the Museum 

 in the art and industrial life of the City was demonstrated by the 

 special Exhibition of Industrial Art in Textiles and 

 industrial Costumes, held in the Museum in November, 1919. 

 art The primary purpose of this exhibition was to show 



exhibition h ow Museum material could serve as the inspiration 

 for designs in textiles and in costumes. The exhibi- 

 tion was installed under the direction of Curator Wissler and Doctor 

 Herbert J. Spinden, assisted by Mr. David Aaron, Mr. M. D. C. 



