II 
COLUriBUS MEMORIAL MUSEUM. 
The Columbus Memorial Museum consists of relics collected 
for the World’s Columbian Exposition under the supervision of 
Mr. Wm. Elroy Curtis, of Washington, and sheltered for exhibition 
during the Exposition in the reproduction of the Monastery of La 
Rabida. 
The collections comprise original manuscripts of Columbus 
and his time, and documents from the Vatican that first saw light 
in America during the Exposition; maps and charts, showing the 
earliest works of cartographers; books and pictures illustrating 
the growth and development of geographical knowledge; portraits 
and busts, showing the different conceptions regarding the appear- 
ance of Columbus in life; monuments, inscriptions, tablets, refer- 
ring to his remains; nothing has been omitted that would throw 
light upon the career and personality of the discoverer of America. 
Every picture is here with a purpose; every map, chart, relic, 
is a link in the chain connecting the history of the New World 
with the Old. The student, the historian, the antiquarian, will find 
in them material for months of study. 
In the installation of this collection in its present quarters an 
effort has been made to follow as closely as possible that historical 
sequence which is given each article in the descriptive catalogue, 
which will be issued later, and the numbering is entirely with 
regard to that sequence 
Owing to the limitations of space, the adapting of the exhibit 
to the space, and the peculiarity of the exhibit itself, it has been 
impossible to have the numbers follow each other very closely, or 
to keep the different groups intact. It is hoped that the sug- 
gestions as to order of inspection may assist the visitor in gaining 
an intelligent comprehension of the whole. 
The three rooms situated in the northeast corner of the main 
building of the Museum Halls i, 8, and 9 are devoted to this collec- 
tion. Entering from the East Court, and passing through to the 
center and largest room of the three, the visitor will do well to 
inspect, first: 
