UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. A national depository at Washington, D. C., under the control of the Smithsonian Institu tion (q.v.). The collections of the Smithsonian Institution, beginning with the private cabinet of James Smithson, and added to by the material deposited by various exploring expeditions, in creased rapidly and soon filled the Smithsonian Building. When the Centennial Exposition, held iu Philadelphia in 1876, was first considered, it was decided to make extensive exhibits, showing the development of the various governmental de partments, and large collections were made for that purpose, which at the close of the Exposition were turned over to the National Museum, to gether with the choicest of the exhibits from 34 foreign governments. A building for the exhibi tion of these collections was authorized by Con gress in 1879 and completed in 1881, and in 1903 Congress again authorized the construction of a building to cost $3,500,000. As at present organized, the National Museum is under the di rection of the Secretary of the Smithsonian In stitution as keeper ex officio, and in the direct charge of an assistant secretary, under whom are IS curators in charge of special branches of science. A series of publications are issued by
the National Museum, and include: (1) Amitfai Report of the Smithsonian Institution, part ii. begun in 1884; (2) Bulletin of the United States National Museum, begun in 1875 and now num bering 52; with these should he included the series of Special Bulletins, four in number ; Proceedings of the United States National. Mu seum, which were begun in 1878 and now include 26 volumes. These were intended primarily as a medium of publication for newly acquired facts in science, descriptions of new forms of animals and plants acquired by the museum, etc. A com plete list of these publications with index to titles was issued as Bulletin No. 51, in 1902. The National Museum is supported by an annual ap propriation from Congress.