Flowers Final 28:02:25 - Flipbook - Page 157
of which he planned and superintended, and some of which was the work of his own hands=.
To begin with, William did not have any control over the exhibits in the four galleries, but he could bring about
change in the Central Hall, which Owen had called the Index Museum. William chose to use this area to
introduce visitors to what they would find in the subsequent four galleries. In this entry area he hoped to teach
everyday visitors the main facts of Zoology and Botany, and to illustrate and explain evolution and comparative
anatomy. He designed the cases for each bay himself. His aim was to carefully select specimens, and arrange
them in such ways that the items themselves should tell their own story. William wanted each specimen to be
interesting and catch visitor attention. He made sure objects were not overcrowded or repeated and had clear
and succinct explanatory labels.
William believed that natural history museums had two purposes, one was to educate the public and the other
was to provide opportunity for scientific research. Scientific research required as many different specimens as
possible, but educating the public required limited specimens. Collections for scientific research were to be
treated like a library, and used for consultation and reference. Not every specimen needed to be on display, but
they should be stored and catalogued carefully so they could be found quickly and easily. Specimens for the
general public should be placed at eye level for ready examination, perfectly and distinctly seen, with a clear
space around it. Professor Virchow was so impressed with William9s management of museums, that he called
him
