12 ON NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS.
exhibition of a wider archaeological collection of local character.
The fittings should harmonize with the antique aspect of the
rooms, and the contents of the cases should carry the visitor
back, in imagination, to the distant past. All the antiquarian
objects now on exhibition might remain in their present home—the
relics from the Camps and the Chigwell Settlement, the stone
and bronze implements, the old fire-producing appliances, the
tapestries, the pictures, and the engravings of local interest. But
all the natural history objects should, in my opinion, be trans-
ferred to new quarters—spacious, airy, and bright—where they
would be more attractive and of greater educative value than in
their present rather unsuitable location.
That the Forest Museum, even in its present state, is widely
appreciated, let the thousands who throng it every season testify.
But notwithstanding the crowds which pass through the rooms,
a large proportion being children, scarce a single instance is
known in which any damage has been wilfully done. This is the
more remarkable, considering what a large surface of glass is
exposed ; moreover, there are many specimens under glass shades,
accessible on shelves in the room, yet it is the rarest thing for
these or the small glass vivaria to get injured.
To the schools which so often visit the Forest the museum is
a source not only of great attraction, but in many cases of
permanent profit. Children are quick to observe and ready to
remember, full of curiosity and usually interested in a remarkable
degree in living things, such as will be seen in the aquaria and
vivaria in the museum, So again, to the young naturalist visiting
the Forest, this museum is a feature of exceptional interest, for
here he may hope to identify the spoils which he has secured in
his rambles. Special attention should therefore be given to the
exhibition of common things. The resorts of the London
naturalist are unfortunately but few, and are getting fewer every
year, but we rejoice that the Forest, which is one of the most
favoured haunts, is preserved for ever from the defilement of
bricks and mortar. May it have eventually a museum which
shall be worthy of its reputation !
Five years after the Epping Forest Museum had been opened
another Museum under the care of our Club, of wider scope than
that at Chingford, inasmuch as it represents the whole county of
Essex, was formally opened at Stratford by the Countess of