28 



FIFTY YEARS OF MUSEUM WORK 



way of exhibits. The result has been a full and beautiful presentation of 

 certain widely separated sections of the world that appealed to the curator. 



The ideal exhibit of anthropology is yet to be made, and while the 

 American Museum of Natural History is making headway towards it, 

 yet owing to work already done and material accumulated, it is doubtful 

 if it will ever be possible to make an evenly balanced presentation of the 

 races of the world. Here is a fine opportunity for some anthropological 

 museum of the future— though it must be a future fairly near or the 

 chance will be gone forever. 



The existence of the Brooklyn Museum was due to the energy of 

 Professor Franklin W. Hooper, and it was originally organized on the 

 theory that the various departments of the Institute (Brooklyn Institute 

 of Arts and Sciences) would have charge of the corresponding depart- 

 ments of the Museum, the officers of these departments acting as cura- 

 tors. It is needless to say that this theory did not work in practice al- 

 though it did serve as a beginning. Unsalaried curators, no matter how 

 enthusiastic, can rarely afford the time necessary for the care of the col- 

 lections—or if they can afford it do not take it, the result in either case 

 being that the collections are neglected. 



The recognition of these facts by the trustees, as well as the fact 

 that a museum can not be efficiently administered by a hasty visit once 

 a week, led to the appointment of Doctor A. B. Mayer (later changed to 

 Mayor) as Curator-in-Chief, and by him the Museum was re-organized 

 and placed on a sound working basis. It was shortly after this that I 

 was called to the Museum, my advent being due to the resignation of 

 Doctor Mayer to take charge of the Marine Biological Station of the 

 Carnegie Institution at the Tortugas. 



The Departments of Fine Arts and Anthropology were efficiently 

 administered by Professor Goodyear and Mr. Culin, the real problem 

 being the Department of Natural History which was the product of the 

 efforts of several departments of the Institute. It was possible to recog- 

 nize the period and duration of the activities of each by the condition of 

 the collections. The departments of geography, botany, mineralogy 

 zoology had successively been active in installing their collections which 

 later, owing to lack of funds and interest, fell into neglect The result 

 was something like an ancient village site, in strata of disorder the 

 exhibits of the most recently active department being at the front and 

 the others pushed to the back or relegated to the top shelves 



Fortunately, my associates, Messrs. Cherrie, Schaeffer and Doll 

 were active and interested, and although it was a year before I invit ed 



