50 The Museum Gazette 



HOW TO FORM A TEMPORARY MUSEUM. 



A temporary museum will, in all probability, be a Vacation- 

 er Summer-museum ; there will, therefore, be no need for 

 stoves or fires, and scarcely any for artificial light. The sun 

 rises in summer as early as any members of the museum 

 committee are likely to be stirring, and by sunset it will be 

 time to close. We will suppose, then, that the season is 

 summer and the place a small town in the country. In the 

 first place a small local committee of those interested in the 

 scheme should be formed, and a small sum of money 

 guaranteed. The next step should be to borrow a set of 

 school premises, or hire for a couple of months an empty 

 house. If only a small cottage were obtainable it should 

 have a back garden in which a large wooden shed could be 

 put up. The essentials are plenty of room, plenty of light, 

 and good protection from weather. If the premises secured 

 be those of a school, the next thing will be to arrange with 

 some carpenter for the hire of a quantity of boards which, 

 laid across the desks, will make tables. It may be possible, 

 on similar terms, to obtain from a draper a quantity of baize, 

 or its very cheapest equivalent, but this would not be absolutely 

 necessary. Having secured plenty of table-space, the next 

 point is to prepare the walls. It will be required to display 

 on these, Portraits, Maps, Illustrations, &c, &c, and for 

 pinning these up some sort of framework is desirable. The 

 carpenter will soon put this together and cover it with baize 

 or flannel. 



The rooms being made ready, the next step is to fill 

 them, and about this there will be no difficulty. As a pre- 

 liminary measure a circular will have been sent out, inviting 

 all residents to contribute their curiosities on loan. It will 

 be strange if this be not bountifully responded to by cases 



