USNM Curators Annual Reports - Technological Collections, 1896 - 1897

Though the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries building (created to house the Smithsonian's growing collection) had only opened to the public in Fall of 1881, just a few years later, the National Museum had already begun to run out of space. See how those spatial constraints impacted the work of Curator J.E. Watkins, and his work on the Technological Collections. Help transcribe the 1897 Technological Collections report and get an inside look into the trials and triumphs of the Smithsonian?s expanding collection!