Author ^^*o^ Title E ._._._ I..2...Z M&H-5A5 Imprint. 18—47372-2 OPO MUSEUM CO-OPERATION IN THE HUDSON-FULTON CELEBRA- TION OF 1909 BY Dr. George F. Kunz Honorary Curator of Gems, American Museum of Natural History H$HSZS Reprinted from the Proceedings of the American Association of Museums Vol. IV, 1910 MUSEUM COOPERATION IN THE HUDSON-FULTON CELEBRATION OF 1909I At every world's fair that has taken place in the past it has been customary to erect museum buildings for the exhibition of objects of historical, archeological, or art significance, the latter consisting principally of paintings. During 1907, when the project of the great Hudson-Fulton Celebration was under consideration, the writer felt ^For further information on this subject see- Oc^^o^n^^'^'"' ^- «^^^°^-F"J^«- Celebration, X909. Fop. Scl. Mo., vol 75 UCt., 1909, pp. 313-337, 20 ils. ' '^^• r.^T\^TT H''^^^^^^- Hudson-Fulton Celebration, 1909. Fourth annuni TIT: ^^'^^"-^"^r'^ Celebration Commission. Albany, X9:o ^ o, pp. XIV -f 1420, 200 pp. of ils. ' Kvm, Geokge F. Hudson-Fulton Celebration, X909. A collection of catalogs. American Association of Museums 25 that it would be much better to utilize the twenty-five or more mu- seums in Greater New York than to erect any new buildings. The plan was carefully considered by the Commission, with the result that two committees were formed; one for historical exhibits and the other for art, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Of the twenty-five museums, twenty-two took part. The total expense to the Commis- sion amounted to $22,000. The result was that the authorities of the museums, as well as those of the Botanical Garden and the Zoologi- cal Park, and also the Department of Parks, were induced to further the great exhibits and to make them accessible to all who were in the city, or were likely to visit it during the three months from the end of September to the end of December. The success was unparalleled and, as a suggestion for other cities, it was thought well to give a summary indication of the exhibits, their locations, the hours of opening, and the moral effect of these displays upon the public. Those who had charge of the special exhibitions of the different museums, institutions, and societies, have kindly communicated many important details as to the space occu- pied, the number of \isitors, etc. In several instances the museums have received immediate encouragement in the form of gifts and donations. They were popularized to a greater extent than ever be- fore, and are better understood by many thousands of citizens who had never been in certain of them before the Hudson-Fulton Cele- bration occurred. We have all read of the Indians who were settled on Manhattan Island before the arrival of Henry Hudson, but few realize how many relics of these aborigines have been found here, especially at the upper end of the island. A large and valuable collection of these relics was shown at the American Museum of Natural History, at Central Park West and Seventy-seventh Street. This exhibition, which will be permanent, was opened September 15, a considerable part of the ground floor being devoted to it.. It was open on week days from C: to 5; on Sundays from i to 5. Many teachers brought entire classes to see the exliibits which were also made the basis for lectures delivered issued by the museums and institutions in New York City and vicinity under the auspices of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission. 400 copies issued. For further descriptions of museums mentioned in this article, see: Rea, PaulM. Directory of American Museiuns of Art, History, and Science. Bull. Biiffalo Soc. Nat. Sci., vol. x, 1910, pp. 1-360. 26 American Association of Museums under the auspices of the board of education. A classic monograph by Mr. Alanson Skinner, of the department of anthropology in the Museum, describing the Indian relics of the time of the discovery of Manhattan Island, was published for the occasion. It comprises fifty-four pages and is illustrated by twenty figures. The special exhibit in the rooms of the American Geographical Society, 15 West Eighty-first Street, covered about 1572 square feet. It consisted of rare books, maps, etc., relating to Henry Hudson, Robert Fulton, and their times. These were shown for thirty days, the hours being from 9 to 5. A catalog of forty-one pages was issued, giving a detailed description of the objects and containing five repro- ductions of the title pages of rare books. This catalog can be had on application to the librarian. In the Engineering Building, 29 West Thirty-ninth Street, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers exhibited a collection of models of the first vessels to which steam was applied for navigation, and also models of the latest steamships, thus illustrating the immense changes which have taken place in one century. About 700 square feet of floor space was devoted to the exhibition, which lasted from the middle of September to the middle of October, during which time it was open from 9 to 5.30, and was viewed by about 500 persons, all of whom expressed and displayed great interest. The special exhibition at the Brooklyn Institute, Eastern Park- way, was open from 9 to 6 on week days, from 2 to 6 on Sundays, and on Thursday evenings from 7.30 to 9.30. Here were shown re- productions of the animals of Long Island and implements used by the Long Island Indians. Nearly 2000 square feet of space was occupied by the exhibition and during September and October there were 50,000 visitors. In the Children's Museum a collection was shown covering 150 square feet, and this was visited by 20,000 persons. Much interest in the history of Hudson and Fulton was expressed by all visitors. In the City History Club, 21 West Forty-fourth Street, a collection of illustrations, photographs, maps, and plans was exhibited during the month of October. It occupied 500 feet of floor space and was seen by over 150 persons, whose attention was directed to the Historical Guide Book of the City of New York published by the Club. The College of the City of New York, at St. Nicholas Avenue and One Hundred Thirty-eighth Street, exhibited in the historical museum American Association of Museums 27 of the institution, for several weeks, a collection of charts, views, manu- scripts, and relics representing Old New York. At Fraunces Tavern, 54 Pearl Street, erected in 17 19, and restored by the Sons of the American Revolution in 1907, Revolutionary relics were shown daily, except Sundays, from 9 to 6. There were about 150 visitors. The Long Island Historical Society, at the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets, Brookljoi, exhibited a small collection. The location was too remote to attract many visitors, but some 50 persons viewed the exhibition which was open from 8.30 to 6. In the National Arts Club, on Twentieth Street, near Irving place, where Samuel J. Tilden once resided, could be seen a most original and attractive exhibition entitled "Three Centuries of New York." This occupied some 3800 square feet of floor space and was open for six months between the hours of 10 and 6; it was seen by about 10,000 persons, and was very highly appreciated by the visitors. The Aquarium Building, in Battery Park, open daily, including Sundays, from 9 to 5, attracted 396,887 visitors during the two weeks ot tne special exhibition. On September 26 there were 64,795 visitors. The tanks containing fish native to the waters about New York City were appropriately marked, and this served to attract the attention of those present to our resources in this respect. The exhibition in the New York Botanical Garden, in Bronx Park, continued from the first of September to the middle of December, and extended over 200 acres. The museums were open daily, includ- ing Sundays, from 10 to 5, and the conservatories from 10 to 4; the grounds were always open. In the grounds and conservatories were exhibits of plants, shrubs, trees, and natural woodland; in the museums were shown products utilized in the arts, sciences, and industries. All trees growing in the Hudson Valley at the time of Hudson's arrival were marked with the letter "H." A descriptive list of the native trees was prepared for the celebration by Mr. Norman Taylor. There were 150,000 \asitors and all showed marked interest in our native trees. The Department of Parks placed tree-labels on the trees in many parts of Brooklyn and Queens boroughs; an additional sign reading, "This species is a native of the Hudson River Valley," was affixed to specimens of the species indigenous to the Hudson Valley in 1609. In this way millions of casual passers-by were made familiar with the trees of our land. 28 American Association of Museums In the rooms of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 226 West Fifty-eighth Street, there was a special exhibition of old deeds, manuscripts, etc., relating to the history of the United States, up to and including the war of 181 2. This was open daily, except Sunday, from 10 to 5, and continued from the latter part of September to the first of November. In the building of the New York Historical Society, 1 70 Central Park West, was shown a fine collection of portraits of Robert Fulton, and many other objects illustrating the life and times of both Hudson and Fulton. This special exhibition covered an extent of 3000 square feet and was open from September 27 to October 30, 1909, including Sundays, from 9 to 5. There were 2036 visitors. The catalog forms an octavo of sixty pages and has as frontispiece a handsome colored print of Thomas Sully's portrait of Robert Fulton. The special exhibition in the Lenox Branch of the New York Public Library was open during the months of September, October, and November, 10,09, daily, except Sundays, from 9 to 6, and occupied 3612 feet of space. The number of visitors was about 5000. Here could be seen prints, books, manuscripts, etc., relating to Henry Hudson, the Hudson River, Robert Fulton and steam navigation. A catalog embracing 745 items was issued. In the New York Zoological Park could be seen the various species of birds and mammals native to Manhattan Island and its immedi- ate vicinity. The Park was open daily, including Sundays, from 9 until an hour before sunset. From September 25 to October 9, the number of visitors was 76,036. A special guide book, written by Dr. William T. Hornaday, consists of forty-six pages and contains seventy- one illustrations. The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the City of New York made an exhibition of relics connected with the long history of the church, which was founded in 1628, and represents the earUest religious organization in the city. These objects were shown in the Chapel of St. Nicholas, corner of Fifth Avenue and Forty-eighth Street, and the exhibition was open to the public from 9 to 5 daily, during the period of the celebration. In Richmond Borough, a collection of Indian implements, weapons, etc., from various parts of Staten Island, was shown by the Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences, in the Borough Hall, New Brighton, Staten Island. It was open every afternoon from i to 5, except Sundays, Mondays and holidays; on Saturdays it was open \ American Association of Museums 29 from 10 to 5. The extent covered was 1875 square feet and the number of visitors from September 4 to November i, was 151 1. The special exhibition in the Van Cortlandt House, in Van Cort- landt Park, lasted from June to November, and attracted 3000 visitors in a single day. It was open daily from 9 to 5 and comprised Wedgewood medallion, and mezzotint portraits of illustrious persons who lived prior to the Revolution, cartoons and caricatures of political events, etc. Washington's Headquarters, the old Jumel Mansion, situated in Roger Morris Park, Edgecomb Road and One Hundred Sixty- second Street, was visited by about 3600 persons during the month of October. The building was open daily, including Sundays, from 9 to 5. No special exhibition was shown here, but the fine Colonial furniture, pictures, etc., in the house were well worth a visit. The most important of the special exhibitions which were organized by the Art and Historical Exliibits Committee, was the magnificent collection of masterpieces by Dutch painters shown in the Metro- politan Museum of Art, at Fifth Avenue and Eighty-second Street. Never before had so many splendid examples of Dutch art been gathered together in the United States; indeed, the exhibition as a whole has never been rivaled even in Europe. There were thirty- five Rembrandts — a larger number than exist in any permanent col- lection, except that of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg — nineteen portraits by Franz Hals, five specimens of the work of Vermeer van Delft, whose pictures are extremely rare, and pictures by Jacob and Salomon Ruysdael, Cu}'p, Hobbema, Metsu, Van Ostade, and many others who were contemporaries of Henry Hudson. These works came from the finest private collections in the United States and many years will pass before an equally favorable opportunity will be afiforded for the study of Dutch pictorial art. The special exhibition also embraced a large and valuable collec- tion of furniture, silver, pewter, porcelain, and glass, produced in this country between 1625 and 1815, the year of Fulton's death; and a fine collection of paintings by American artists born before 1800, including pictures by Woolaston, Copley, West, Allston, Peale, Stuart, Trumbull, Fulton, Doughty, etc. These special exhibitions occupied 9070 square feet of space, and were open from September 30 to November 30, 1909, the hours being from 10 to 6 on week days and from i to 6 on Sundays; on Saturday the building was open until 10 p.m. During this period there were 30 American Association of Museums 300,775 visitors. The value of the exhibitions for the study of Dutch art, and of the work of Colonial silversmiths, was generally recognized as very great. Following is a summary of special Hudson-Fulton exhibitions in the City of New York: INSTITUTIONS SQUARE FEET ATTEND- ANCE American Geographical Society American Museum of Natiural History American Society Mechanical Engineers . . . Brooklyn Institute Arts and Sciences Brooklyn Institute, Children's Museum. . . . City History Club College of the City of New York Fraimces' Tavern Long Island Historical Society Metropolitan Museum of Art National Arts Club New York Aquarium New York Botanical Garden New York Genealogical and Biographical Society New York Historical Society New York Public Library, Lenox Branch . New York Zoological Park Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Staten Island Association Arts and Sciences. Van Cortlandt House Washington's Headquarters About 30 days . Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Sept. and Oct. . . Sept. i-Dec. 15 October Sept. 25-Oct. 9. 2 or 3 weeks .... 3 months Sept. 3&-N0V. 30 6 months Sept. 26-Oct. 9 Sept. i-Dec. 15 Sept. 30-Nov. I Sept. 27-Oct. 30 Sept., Oct., Nov Sept. 25-Oct. 9 . 6 days Sept. 4-N0V. I.. Jime-Nov October 1,572 450 700 2,000 ISO 300 250 200 40 9,070 3,900 10,000 50 acres 1,000 3,000 3,612 50 acres 200 1,875 3,000 3,200 1,000 73,714 500 50,000 20,000 160 2,000 2,500 , 50 300,775 10,000 369,887 150,000 300 2,036 5,000 76,036 1,000 1,5" 15,000 3,600 44,519 1,075,069 1 3,000 in one day, nearly 300,000 for the year. ^Not including Botanical Garden and Zoological Park. \ fr,WS'>