Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 1.djvu/529

 47° AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST [n. s. f I, 1899

entirely to collections of objects of a religious nature. This museum contains a very remarkable series of objects illustrating the great religions of India, China, and Japan, as well as a num- ber of the minor religions of the world. The collections are well labeled, and for a small sum one can not only buy a complete catalogue of the museum, but may obtain handbooks which in themselves are valuable treatises on the various religions to which they are devoted. The museum as a whole presents a clean and inviting appearance, but the relation which many of its objects bear to religion is not apparent at first sight.

(2) Only four of the museum buildings visited seem to have been planned with a view to the purposes to which the build- ings are now devoted. These are the British Museum (Natural History), the Natural History Museum of Paris, the museum at Vienna, and the Ethnographical Museum at Berlin. In only the Natural History Museum of London does there seem to have been made any provision for future expansion. Architecturally speaking, the museum of Vienna is one of the notable buildings of Europe, and its interior is entirely in keeping with its exterior. The building devoted to ethnography at Berlin cannot be termed handsome, but it is most admirably adapted for its purpose; unfortunately, however, it is at present utterly inadequate in size to permit a proper installation of its vast collections, and no pro- vision has been made for its extension. There is no building in Europe, however, so admirably planned for museum purposes as that which has been so generously provided by the State of New York for the American Museum of Natural History. This build- ing has been constructed on sensible principles: substantial, massive, fireproof, compact, of several stories which are easily accessible by means of large elevators ; surrounded by a broad area, it is capable of great expansion, and is thoroughly adapted to and in keeping with the rich treasures it contains. The American Museum is also fortunate in having large, well lighted, and commodious quarters for storage and workrooms. In Vienna

�� �