T). C. Datiielssen. 



31 



the country and the remains of the pa st might find competent care- 

 takers, and from which knowledge might be spread amongst all 

 ranks of the people. 



Some of the older members were themselves conscious of the 

 necessity of introducing new men into the management of the 

 museum; especially consul Meltzer, who at a general meeting in 

 1852 resigned his clirectorship, after having carried a resolution 

 that eight men shoulcl be nominated as new members of the board, 

 in his place and to complete the number; among these were 

 chosen dr. Danielssen; Holmboe, principal of the High School; 

 Keusch, the landscape painter, and Vogt, the sheriff. 



Thus the very man was introduced to the charge of the 

 museum, who had power and energy to succeed Christie as the 

 practical leacler of its affairs, and after his appointment great 

 changes speedily took place in the arrangements of the museum. 

 It was decided that the directors should form two sections, one for 

 antiquities and one for natura! history, that each should have 

 its own supplies and its own curator, Koren for natural history, 

 and Hysing for the antiquities. Of still greater importance was 

 the change in the statutes, which the new "dictator", as his colleagues 

 soon called him, succeeded in carrying at the general assembly in 

 May 1853, and by which it was declarecl that the collection 

 should be open to every one, ''under such restrictions as the 

 managers might think suitable". The museum, accordingly, was opened 

 to the public twice a week between 11 and 1, and every Sunday 

 at the same time to members and their families. By this the 

 museum practically became a public institution, in spite of its old 

 private form of organization being preserved, and the great public, 

 from whom it had been carefully fenced off, showed its gratitude 

 by streaming to it in large numbers, so that the managers were 

 obliged to take into consideration at several meetings what was to 

 be done with regard to maintaining order. 



The great interest thus shown by the townspeople for the 

 museum, and the increased significance it gained by the large 

 number of visitors, justifled the managers in demanding larger 

 public contributions both for the yearly expenses and for the 

 new building. The "Presidenes house" was falling to pieces, and 

 the "New building" was both too small and inadequate when the 

 old building had to be abandoned. 



Danielssen therefore proposed in february 1853 that the town 



