HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM 
Fortunately the original plan of the American Museum by Calvert 
Vaux in 1873, of a great square with intersecting transepts, admirably 
provides for such sequence — both geographical and evolutionary. In 
fact, with all the advance which has been made in the construction 
and design of museum buildings, within the last thirty years, nothing 
superior to the ground plan of the American Museum has been devised. 
This is a most fortunate circumstance. It was undoubtedly arrived 
at accidentally — one of those happy accidents which reUeves the Trus- 
tees of a mass of difficulties and embarrassments from which other in- 
stitutions have suffered. 
BASEMENT. — The new Basement Entrance provides not only for 
the central distribution of fuel, but also for a receiving and distributing 
department of everything which enters and leaves the Museum, replac- 
ing the present South Entrance. A level trolley and track system will 
connect the receiving department with the entire basement area, and 
thus with all the stairways and elevators which may be constructed. 
In the basement all the work of mechanics, painters, carpenters, and 
joiners is provided for, as well as comfortable rooms for the employees 
between hours. Provision is made also for the reception and storage 
of large collections, casts, etc., in a rough state, and certain rough 
grades of preparation work. The heating and lighting plant will be 
placed economically south of the West Transept. 
FIRST FLOOR.— The first floor will be devoted on the east side 
to certain physical and biological branches of science, and on the 
west to American Anthropology especially of North America. It will 
be appropriate to devote the FOYER, after the removal of the meteor- 
ites and the planetary system, entirely to memorials of the Trustees, 
of prominent members of the Scientific Staff, and of men distinguished 
in the history of American science. 
The scientific sequence of this floor will be understood by beginning 
with ASTRONOMY in the Rotunda, in which, in a darkened hall, 
photographs of the heavens will be displayed by transmitted light, as 
explained above. The adjoining East Transept and East Entrance 
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