Part of the Hall of Building 

 Stones {Hall 20), on the 

 north side of the east wing, 

 second floor, showing two 

 exhibit cases with a slab 

 attached to the wall between 

 thei/i. The cases were about 

 eight jeet tall, so that it was 

 difficult to see the upper 

 shelf. In the early days, the 

 paint shop was in charge of 

 removing the glass if a cura- 

 tor had to get into a case. 



is by no means an easy task as everyone knows who has 

 made the attempt. It the label is too long it will not be 

 read; it too short it is not suttlcientlv explicit."^ 



Merrill noted thai the De|iartment ot Cieology, unlike 

 Biology or Anihi opology, was tending "toward open 

 insi. illation with the main aisle through the center ot 

 each hall, oi it utilized for displa\ ot objects, onl\ such 

 as can readily be seen over and around. In short the 

 aim has been to so arrange the cases and isolated objects, 

 that .1 visitor can, in making continuous progress through 

 the hall see reatlilv on either hand every individual 

 object on displav.'"' He added tiiat "the paieobotanicai 

 exhibit has proven with us as is almost universally the 

 case with other museums, the most difficult of all to 

 make interesting and attractive."" 



Exhibit Challenges — and Problems 



A 191. '5 (k)cumenl chronicled the concerns of the Di- 

 vision ot Mineralogy and Petrology. There and else- 

 where in the Museimi, exhibit technique was not nearly 

 so sophisticated as today. ("The labels employed are on 

 herbaritun board. Gray board was preferred by the 

 Assistant Curator, but was not adopted because two- 

 thirds of the labels had been previously printed on the 

 herbarium board.")' But the problems that the curators 

 faced with tourists and exhibit maintenance were com- 

 parable to those of later generations: 



The average visitor spends so little time in each 

 hall, that everv effort must be made to secure his 

 attention and the exhibition has been designed to 



attract attention and create interest, as well as 

 supply inlormation. . . . The cases are fairly dust 

 proot and thus far the specimens have lemained 

 clean; in the course of lime, however, sufficient 

 dust will tilter in to cause the specimens to require 

 cleaning, fhis period can be deferred somewhat 

 by care on the part of the one in charge to secure 

 adequate cleaning of the cases with the vacuum 

 cleaner. . . . Every effort should be made also to 

 force the operators to keep the tops of the cases 

 clean, a difficult task as they are apt to overlook all 

 points not diiectly visible. The tops of the cases 

 should be inspected also to note if the top glass 

 becomes loosened, in which event special 

 opportunity for access will be given the dust. 



The enormously popular gem collection, which could 

 not "be given too great prominence, or too much at- 

 tention," was arranged 



in seven table top cases down the center of the 

 hall. It is believed that the sage-green velours 

 lining to the cases is the most suitable that can be 

 secured. Unfortunately it fades; this objection 

 would hold for any other fabric or color. The 

 white silk pads are also satisfactory but those now 

 employed were used in the old building and are 

 not especially fresh and clean, and in a few years 

 will have to be renewed." 



Not all exhibits were simple. William Henry Holmes 

 did a great deal more than install the National Gallery 

 of Art, and in some ways was the star of the new Mu- 



58 



The Exhibits 



