The; Royal Museums of the; Cinquantenaire of Brussels. New structure fronting on the Avenue 
des Nerviens. 
THE ROYAL MUSEUMS OF THE CINQUANTE¬ 
NAIRE OF BRUSSELS 
By MariR Paur 
Introduction by Jean Capart, Director 
Translated from the original French by Arthur Stanley Riggs 
One of the most startling things to Europeans who study America on the spot, is to realize the important place 
the museum movement has taken in social life. 
Before I had toured the United States I did not realize one could not affirm that a museum was as useful for a 
human community as a church and a library. 
Old Europe has plenty to learn with regard to this point of view, from young America. 
We possess rich treasures, but we have not yet sufficiently realized the means of employing them to the benefit 
of the greatest number. 
After many years our Royal Museums of the Cinquantenaire are in the way of making an interesting experi¬ 
ment in this regard. Side by side with their scientific activity, which must necessarily remain the dominant 
preoccupation of both the direction and the technical personnel, our Museums have created in the form of a private 
association, a very important educational service. 
The readers of ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY will undoubtedly be interested in reading the pages which 
follow in which Madamoiselle Marie Paul, my collaborates in the direction of the Museums, explains in their 
intentions the different aspects our Museums present. 
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