11 
enlarged and more noble thought of doing something not only to amuse, 
but also to instruct the people. 
The suhject of museums is beginning to assume new importance in 
the estimation of the people. 
Hitherto, small and comparatively worthless collections have been 
gathered by private enterprise, and employed chiefly for purposes of 
speculation. That which is temporary and speculative must now give 
way to something more enduring and instructive, and it seems to me 
that our thanks are especially due to the Society of Natural History 
for acting the part of pioneers in this great field of science, and for 
the zeal which they have shown in the prosecution of the work. So 
far as the Departmeut which I now represent is concerned, I do not 
hesitate to proinise all the assistance it can lawfully render. We 
encourage it as not only an object of pubhc interest which shall serve 
to attract hither ward strangers from all parts of the land, but also as 
a means of intellectual pleasure, profit and rehef to our over-burdened 
people, and as affording a school where the children of the rich and 
poor alike can come to study the wonders of nature which are here to 
be gathered together, and freely expo-sed for the common benefit of all. 
It is believed that the museums on the Park will become valuable 
auxiliaries of that great free public educational system which is already 
the pride of our city, as well as the source of useful practical informa- 
tion to agriculturists, merchants and manufacturers throughout the 
land. In this country we popularize knowledge, and give to science 
a holiday air. and instead of putting our collections, as some have 
proposed, "into cold catacombs of science, and long gloomy galleries 
in which nature is clas.sified, ticketed, stuffed and covered with dust in 
a manner well adapted to create weariness rather than to attract people 
to the study of natural objects," it is our purpose to provide such 
structures as shall furnish agreeable entertainment to the genera 
visitor, while at the same time offering valuable aid to common school 
education. 
With the hearty co-operation of the Natural History Society, sus- 
tained by the genius of Olmsted and the architectural skill of \ aux, 
and certain of the sympathy of an enlightened people, the Department 
of Public Parks looks confidently forward to the successful completion 
of the magnificent scheme, the commencement of which may now be 
pronounced as fully inaugurated. 
