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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION   1494

not yet submitted its final report to the President. There was some discussion concerning the possibility that this proposed museum might encroach on the National Air Museum. Dr. Hunsaker pointed out that the National Air Museum had nothing to do with the early history of the country, but only with the last 50 years. During the last half century the interest in exhibits of the Air Force and the National Air Museum would inevitably in some measure overlap. The National Air Museum plans to provide for the public showing of aviation power plants, instruments and some 60 to 80 airplanes and space vehicles, including the original Wright plane, the Goddard rockets, and other famous "firsts" of the Smithsonian collections. Other parts of this great collection will be maintained for study by engineers and other interested special research workers in aviation.

REPORT ON NATIONAL CULTURAL CENTER

The Secretary reported that this project is organized by a special board of trustees, and this board is now considering a program for raising $75,000,000 for a building. It was agreed that the architect's conception of this building is beautiful. It was noted that the Board of Trustees had been directed by an Act of Congress to report its activities to the Smithsonian Institution.

UNION STATION AS A TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM

Mr. Bow made the suggestion that consideration be given to the possibility that the Union Station sometime in the future might be used as a transportation museum. He felt that it was very seldom that one has a ready-built museum with plenty of space. Many things in present-day transportation will before too long be museum pieces. No formal action was taken, but much interest in the ideas was expressed.

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