THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY MUSEUM.
BY F. B. ALLEN.
THE following is an extract from a guide-book to the Museum, printed in 1878:—"The collection was commenced by Dr. Hector, for the Dunedin Exhibition of 1865. When this was over, the specimens were packed in boxes and stowed away. Subsequently in 1868, some rooms were allotted to it in the old buildings of the University in Princes street; but as only £100 a year was voted for keeping it up, no great improvement could be expected. In 1878, however, the Provincial Council made an annual grant of £500 for its support, and this was increased in 1875 to £600 a year. It was also resolved to place the now growing collection in a separate building. A site was selected in Great King street, and the foundation was laid in December, 1874, In July, 1877, the building and fittings were completed at a cost of about £12,500, and it was opened to the public on August 11th, 1877. In 1877 also, a Bill was passed by the General Assembly, handing the management and control over to the Council of the University of Otago.
"The building is arranged so that a wing may be added at any time on either side. The south wing is intended for the New Zealand collection, with an aquarium in the basement; the north wing for a Technological Museum of Arts, Manufactures and Ethnology, with the Geological and Mineralogical collections in the basement. This will leave the present hall for foreign Natural History collections."
The Museum is fitted up with class-rooms and Laboratory, and has a valuable library, supplied with most of the important scientific magazines of the day. Although nothing has been done since 1877, towards the completion of the building, the collections have been steadily increasing, and are now demanding more room.
In a museum, instruction as well as amusement should be aimed at, and museums on a comparatively small scale, by taking
