60.45 cu. ft. (91 document boxes) (7 half document boxes) (15 12x17 boxes) (3 16x20 boxes) (2 cu. ft. large oversize box) (67 oversize folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Exhibition catalogs
Black-and-white photographs
Floor plans
Maps
Drawings
Clippings
Manuscripts
Pamphlets
Letterpress copybooks
Picture postcards
Serials (publications)
Date:
1867-1940
Descriptive Entry:
The exposition records of this collection provide an account of the Smithsonian's involvement in twenty-two domestic and foreign expositions between 1876 and 1908.
The depth of coverage in the records is uneven, but they still convey a wealth of information about Smithsonian participation in expositions, chiefly during the last quarter
of the nineteenth century.
The most significant material in this collection is undoubtedly the correspondence of the Smithsonian representative and the delegate to the Government Board, who were
usually the same person. From the correspondence one can trace all the activities which went into making exhibits for expositions. Depending on the depth of coverage for an
exposition, it is possible to trace its history from planning work in Washington, to hiring personnel and assembling or buying material for exhibits, to observe the operating
routines at the exposition, and, finally, to track the return of personnel and materials to the Smithsonian. All these activities are documented in the correspondence of the
representative-delegate and the special agent, who acted as the representative's deputy.
Curators from the National Museum greatly assisted the representative in preparation of the exhibits. The correspondence and records of curators and their particular exhibits
present detailed information on the preparation, installation, and administration of the exhibit. Correspondence concerning efforts to collect specimens may be of interest
as well.
Researchers should also consult Record Units 95 and 192 in the Smithsonian Archives. The former contains numerous photographs of expositions, though the coverage is uneven.
The latter contains records documenting Smithsonian and National Museum participation in expositions, circa 1900-1940.
Researchers should also consult the Smithsonian Institution Library, which has a large collection of exposition catalogues. There is, moreover, a splendid interpretive
essay on American expositions, Robert W. Rydell's All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at International Expositions, 1876-1916 (Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1984).
Historical Note:
After the success of the London Crystal Palace Exposition of 1851, expositions became increasingly popular in both the United States and in Europe. However, serious
participation by the federal government did not commence until the International Exposition in Philadelphia, known as the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Government involvement
in expositions was authorized by an Act of Congress. The purpose of the government exhibits was generally to set forth the nature of American institutions and various aspects
of the life of the citizenry, and to illustrate the nation's military power. The act usually created a Government Board of Management or Government Exhibit Board, which would
be composed of representatives from the executive departments, the Smithsonian, and the United States Fish Commission. This board was in charge of appropriations, organization,
preparation, installation, and management of government exhibits.
The Smithsonian representative on the Board was in charge of the Institution's exhibit and might be asked to act in some capacity for the Board as well. Spencer F. Baird,
George Brown Goode, Frederick W. True, and William deC. Ravenel served as representatives of the Institution from 1876 to 1916. Other Smithsonian staff members produced exhibits
in their respective fields. They included Otis T. Mason, George P. Merrill, William H. Holmes, Leonhard Stejneger, and others.
During this period it was customary to differentiate between the exhibits prepared by the Smithsonian Institution proper--the "parent institution," as it was called--and
those prepared by the United States National Museum. An effort was made to represent the work of the entire organization in these exhibits. However, the work of the main departments
of the National Museum, Geology, Anthropology (including the Bureau of American Ethnology), and Biology lent itself to more vivid illustration; and it is not surprising that
in practice the exhibits emphasized their work.
The Institution staff frequently found itself coping with gains and losses arising from participation in expositions. The chief benefit, and it was considerable, was that
the Smithsonian received many accessions, especially from foreign exhibitors. It was also able to purchase specimens from government exposition appropriations, which it could
add to the National Museum's collection when an exposition ended. Finally, the Institution was pleased to have the publicity which the expositions generated. Despite these
undoubted benefits, there were decided disadvantages as well. Often Congress would not make an appropriation for an exposition until very near the time it was to open, which
meant the Smithsonian staff had to create exhibits at short notice. Because of this circumstance, it was sometimes necessary to remove exhibit materials from the National
Museum in an effort to prepare a creditable production. Moreover, staff members often had to be diverted from their regular duties to help make necessary preparations. This
had the effect of removing Museum staff members from their duties in Washington for assignments at an exposition, which obliged those removed to delay work begun in the Museum.
Despite these difficulties, the expositions were useful to the Smithsonian, which made effective use of them from 1876 until about World War I.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
On April 25, 1890, Congress approved ". . . An Act to provide for celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, by holding
an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures and the products of soil, mine and sea . . ." The exposition opened in Chicago, Illinois, on May 1, 1893, and
closed October 31, 1893. Known as the 'White City,' its special effects included electric lighting of the buildings and the famed Midway Plaisance.
Preparations by the Smithsonian Institution began soon after the authorization of government exhibits in 1890. Complications concerning appropriations and expenditures
caused some difficulties. By 1893, however, preparations for the exhibits had all but superseded regular operations at the Smithsonian. The displays encompassed most of the
departments of the Museum, including a combined effort by the Bureau of Ethnology and Department of Anthropology. The Smithsonian also loaned materials to other U.S. government
agencies and to the Woman's Pavilion.
The Government Board of Management, which controlled the government exhibits, was chaired by Edwin Williams, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. George
Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, represented the Smithsonian. R. Edward Earll assisted Goode as chief special agent and served as the executive
officer to the exposition in Washington and Chicago. George P. Merrill, Robert Ridgway, Otis T. Mason, Frederick W. True, and other curators from the National Museum contributed
substantially to preparations.
The series documents the Smithsonian Institution's participation in the World's Columbian Exposition. Correspondence between the Smithsonian Institution and the Government
Board of Management is extensive. The majority of the collection consists of correspondence, records, and reports pertaining to the preparation of Smithsonian exhibits and
subsequent acquisitions, including correspondence of Goode, Earll, and various curators. The collection reflects all phases of Smithsonian involvement, from the first exhibit
proposals to the return of exhibits to Washington. Administrative records are also incorporated in the collection.
For photographs, see Record Unit 95, Series 7. For related materials, see Series 6, World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition, oversize.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
U.S. GOVERNMENT BOARD OF MANAGEMENT CORRESPONDENCE AND RECORDS, 1890-1894
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
This material consists of Smithsonian correspondence and records relating to the Government Board of Management. The papers include administrative, financial, and legislative correspondence, mostly from F. T. Bickford, Secretary of the Board. Of particular interest are correspondence and reports between the Smithsonian, the Government Board, and Treasury Department pertaining to appropriation and expenditure problems.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
The purpose of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition was to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Tennessee's admission into the Union. Housed in such neoclassical
structures as the still-extant Parthenon, the exposition opened in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 1, 1897, and closed on October 30, 1897.
In 1897, Congress approved an act to assist the exposition by providing for government exhibits. Eighteen departments of the Smithsonian Institution prepared special exhibits.
These exhibits were installed and oriented around the Bureau of Ethnology's miniature Kiowa camping circle in the Government Building.
Frederick W. True represented the Smithsonian on the Government Board for the Tennessee Exposition. William V. Cox was the chief special agent in charge of the exhibits,
and was also appointed secretary to the Government Board of Management. This series consists of general correspondence and records of the Smithsonian Institution pertaining
to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The major correspondents are Frederick W. True and William V. Cox. The documentation of the exhibits is limited. Of special interest
are selected responses by curators to questions about deficiencies in their exhibitions. Other related materials include newspaper clippings, reports, documents, records,
and specimen lists.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
These records consist of miscellaneous correspondence, plans, notes, newspaper clippings, and documents pertaining to the U.S. Government Board of Management records for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The majority of incoming correspondence is to William V. Cox, Secretary of the Government Board.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
William V. Cox was the chief clerk of the United States National Museum from 1885 to 1902. He served as the chief special agent for the Pan-American Exposition under Frederick W. True. Cox also held the position of secretary to the Government Board of Management for this exposition. J. E. Rockwell became acting chief clerk of the National Museum under Cox. Most of the correspondence is Rockwell's.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
Folder 8 U.S. Government Board of Management, 1899-1901. Includes by-laws of Board; descriptive sheets on U.S. Board and exhibits. Oversized material removed to other housing; folder contains copies of these materials.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
Folder 9 U.S. Government Board of Management, Building Committee, 1900. Oversized material removed to other housing; folder contains copies of these materials.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
To celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, Congress sanctioned the Louisiana Purchase Exposition ". . . for exhibitions of arts, industries,
manufactures, and products of soil, mine, forest, and sea." The exposition was held at St. Louis from April 30 to December 1, 1904. It encompassed 1,240 acres of indoor and
outdoor exhibits, including an actual Philippine village. Foreign and domestic participants provided an "exposition of processes" including such divisions as electricity,
transportation, anthropology, physical culture, and an International Congress of Arts and Science designed to be an "academic accompaniment" to the exposition.
In 1902 Congress appropriated $110,000 to the Smithsonian Institution for its exhibits, which took over two years to prepare, for ". . . no pains have been spared to make
the display both interesting and noteworthy." The Smithsonian's display represented the Smithsonian Institution proper, including a reproduction of the Children's Room in
the Smithsonian Building in Washington; the Bureau of International Exchange; and the Astrophysical Observatory. National Museum exhibits consisted of models of Aztec ruins
from the Department of Anthropology and a cast and skeleton of a sulfur bottom whale from the Department of Biology. The Department of Geology provided restorations of the
Stegosaurus and Triceratops as well as a collection of meteorites. Two outdoor exhibits were also provided--the National Zoological Park's flying bird cage and a coelostat
from the Astrophysical Observatory. In 1905, as a direct result of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the National Museum increased its accessions more than at any other time
except after the close of the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition.
The Smithsonian's participation was managed in what was by now the usual way. Secretary Langley appointed Frederick W. True as the Smithsonian representative to the U.S.
Government Board of Management for the exposition. True also was chairman of the Installation and Decoration Committee. Dr. Marcus Lyon, Jr., was chief special agent in St.
Louis during the exposition. William deC. Ravenel represented the U.S. Fish Commission on the Government Board of Management and was also administrative assistant to Richard
Rathbun, the Assistant Secretary in charge of the U.S. National Museum. The U.S. National Museum's exhibits were prepared by specialists from its various branches. William
H. Holmes, head of the Bureau of American Ethnology, collaborated with the Museum's Department of Anthropology to create the anthropology exhibit. Frederick W. True, acting
in a dual capacity, planned the Department of Biology exhibit, assisted by Frederic A. Lucas. George P. Merrill, curator of the Department of Geology, directed plans for its
exhibit.
This series includes both correspondence and administrative records pertaining to the Smithsonian Institution's participation in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The
records include correspondence concerning the collection, preparation, and management of the exhibits, and subsequent acquisitions. Other True correspondence relates to his
position as chairman of the Installation and Decoration Committee for the Government Board. Correspondence between Richard Rathbun and William deC. Ravenel concerns desirable
exhibits (both foreign and domestic) they hoped to obtain for the National Museum, including comments from Otis T. Mason, Paul Beckwith, Walter Hough, and others. The remainder
of the series relates to administrative and financial records, including draft and final reports of Smithsonian participation in the exposition and lists of specimens exhibited.
For photographs, see Record Unit 95, Series 7.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions. Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
