Report (Volume 71, PT. 1) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: III PRESENT CONDITION AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MUSEUM The outstanding problem of the Museum is to adjust the growing collections to fixed limitations of space. In this there is the'ever present danger of overcrowding, curtailing proper aisle space and providing for freedom of movement over the floors on the frequent occasions when the halls are thronged. Facing this problem, the effort to meet it is by turning from the use of more floor space to the utilization of the walls. Naturally the procedure grows increasingly difficult, but the life of the Museum depends upon ignoring such limitations even if we have to suspend collections from the rafters. A finished museum is a dead one; this Museum can not die as long as the scientific corps behind it is pursuing its work and acquiring new factors in the natural resources of the State. It is perfectly evident that before long, certainly in the clearer light of the new order and more elevated ideals about to come, a more adequate provision must be made for the housing of the State Museum. It has lived decorously in the Education Building, but under restraint. It needs its own house, its own atmosphere and the fa:r chance to pursue its many activities and realize its own ideals. Light screens. The control of the light in the great main hall which receives its illumination only through skylights has been a difficult problem to solve. This we believe to have been now well taken care of by the installation throughout of panels specially prepared of mercerized fabric vanes working together after the mode of a Venetian blind and each panel easily adjustable from beneath by compensating cords. The design 'is one furnished and controlled by the Simon Ventilighter Company of New York, which has installed the entire equipment. The zoology wi...