Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 62.djvu/333

Rh his money made by the regents, and largely also through the results of the great exploring expedition of Captain Wilkes, there grew up a Smithsonian Museum, one which was exclusively cared for from the Smithson fund; but which, partly through the greater activity of the government surveys and partly through the gifts of private individuals, and also through the valuable objects presented to the United States government by foreign nations at the close of the Centennial at Philadelphia in 1876, brought about the establishment of what is now known as the United States National Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, which is under control of the regents of the institution, for which a building was. provided, and which now receives direct support from congress. This museum has now the matter belonging to the original institution collected by the Smithsonian's own observers, with much more secured through the general government, making in all over 5,000,000 specimens, and is the foremost collection in the world in everything that relates to the natural history, ethnology, geology, and paleontology of that portion of North America now the United States, besides containing many valuable series from other countries. The collections have been visited by over 7,500,000 persons, and the institution has carried selections of its specimens to every large exhibition held in the United States, and distributed 850,000 specimens to colleges and academies, thus powerfully stimulating the growth of museums large and small in every section of the country.

The publications of the Smithsonian have been in several series, mostly to convey to specialists the results of its original scientific investigations and to thus represent the first half of its fundamental purpose 'for the increase of knowledge,' and, subordinately, others to include handbooks and indexes useful to students, and some publications which, while still accurate, contain much information in a style to be understood by any intelligent reader, and thus represent the second half of the founder's purpose for the 'diffusion of knowledge.' Many valuable publications, too, have been issued by the museum and the Bureau of Ethnology, and recently by the Astrophysical Observatory. In all, 265 volumes in over 2,000,000 copies and parts have been gratuitously distributed to institutions and private individuals, these works forming in themselves a scientific library in all branches.

Partly by purchase, but in the main by exchange for these publications, the institution has assembled a library of over 150,000 volumes, principally of serial publications and the transactions of learned societies, which is one of the notable collections of the world. The major portion of it has been since 1866 deposited in the Library of Congress, with which establishment the most cordial and mutually helpful relations subsist.