Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 3. (Budapest 1953)

Boros, I.: The exhibitions of the Hungarian National Museum Museum of Natural History

Planning and building demanded the solution of unusual problems. The uniform architectonic composition of the rooms, the uniting of the various groups, the harmonious combining of these units with the interior installations and the right arrangement of lighting effects tested our ingenuity to no small extent. We have taken care that no superfluous decoration and trimming should disturb the visitor ; quiet, plain surfaces and lines lead him on ; big »Windows« opening on the exhibited material secure an unperturbed contemplation. The side walls of the dioramas were usually built up to the ceilings, thereby shutting down space, and so the visitor, standing before them, looks »out« as though through a window onto the exhibited material. The material of the installations are chiefly wood, glass and plaster ; this latter sprinkled on wood and tinted always to correspond with the coloration of the room's walls. The wooden ledges, partitions, and paddings are done in neutral, paje oils. We have torn out doors and their cases as unartistic and disturbing effects, building plastic frames for the entranceways. With regard to illumination, skylights proved to be the most agreeable but we have also equipped every case with screened lighting. In the second, the so-called »crocodile« room, dioramas with a suitable depth were no"t to be'installed, because of the dimensions of the room and the great numbers of animals concerned. (The dioramas of the aquatic birds and the gorilla are exceptions.) Therefore, we have attempted to solve this problem by a new invention which may be called »semidioramatic« (I have not heard of it ever being used before). This consists in not shaping the dioramas in full but as a continuation of the true and natural setting. We have painted the background only sketchily and in monochromous colors, agreeing to the respective surrounding. The result was quite striking : airy, spacious, and for the didactical purposes absolutely suitable, artistically effective dioramas emerged. The setting up of the big game animals in the third room was also far from easy. As it was necessary have a very large floor area to avoid the creation of a narrow corridor instead of a room, we have not stretched the walls of the dioramas up to the ceiling but only to a height of 2,60 metres, in the middle of the room. The partitions dividing the various dioramas bear painted continuations of the environments of the habitat groups, expanding space effectively. We have also augmented their effect by the variability of the various color effects of the dioramas through the alteration of the principal tones of the background (here side wall) partitions ; different times of the day : dusk, morning, sunshine, and the filtrated green light of the jungle strikes the attention of the visitor. Illumination streams through the opaque glass top of the cases and does not disturb the effect of the exhibits. The narrow corridor of the big diorama in the fourth room, a passageway of 2,5 meters breadth only, presented another problem which was to be solved only by leaving it in total darkness. This proved to be the best method, too : the screened illumination of the enormous diorama became more effective and distance effects were also enhanced. With regard ,to .the smaller decorations we have also endeavoured to use artistic means. We have tinted all explanatory drawing, painting, graph, map, and relief with pale, drab colors, not to draw attention overly away from the exhibited animal or plant. Only independent pictures, maps, etc. were done in deeper but also harmonious colors. Texts were printed on cream paper in brown, »grotesque« type ; titles over the dioramas and cases were set in wooden letters