HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM 
many valuable collections which were now rounded into more complete 
form under the direction of a remarkable group of men, including 
Messrs. Putnam, Boas, Saville, Bandelier, Lumholtz, Smith, Jochelson, 
Bogoras, and others. The financial and scientific cooperation of 
Messrs. Hyde, Loubat, Villard, and others was enlisted, and the Museum 
sprang into the front rank, both of exploring and of special institutions 
in the field of archaeology and ethnology. British Columbia, the Plains 
region, the Southwest, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru were visited by 
special parties and rich collections brought back. 
Jesup The central feature of this great work was the North Pacific Expedi- 
Pacific tion, which began in 1897 and which bore Mr. Jesup's name. In his 
Expedition, annual report of that year, Mr. Jesup says: "In closing my reference 
to the work of this Department it is proper to add a few words regard- 
ing a subject of great interest, not only to the student of Anthropology, 
but also to persons interested in scientific research in other fields. I 
refer to the theory that America was originally peopled by migratory 
tribes from the Asiatic continent. The opportunities favorable for 
solving this problem are rapidly disappearing, and I would be deeply 
gratified to learn that some friends of the Museum may feel disposed 
to contribute means for the prosecution of systematic investigation 
in the hope of securing the data to demonstrate the truth or falsity 
of the claims set forth by various prominent men of science. A map 
of the localities which should be covered by such system of research 
appears in this report." His interest in this purely scientific problem 
of the origin of American races, like that in the discovery of the Pole, 
illustrates Mr. Jesup's enthusiasm for pure scientific investigation and 
exploration. 
During the closing years of Mr. Jesup's administration, he was 
relieved of much detail and his labors were lightened by the appoint- 
ment of Professor Hermon C. Bumpus, of Brown University, as Scien- 
tific Director of the Museum. The institution of this office had 
been strongly urged by Professor Osborn, who for some years had 
been closely associated with the President in the administration of 
the Museum. 
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