Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 6. (Budapest 1955)

Boros, I.: The paleontological exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum - Museum of Natural History

all what is to follow. As later experiences have shown, the execution of this idea proved to be right and had considerably augmented the didactical results of the exhibition. h) Finally, and above all these considerations, we regarded as a very important task the complete effectuation of esthetical points of view, — to let our exhibition act on the sentiments too, besides its effects on the intellect. In one word, that it be also pleasing. Starting from the basic reflection that we are also called upon to educate the good taste of the masses, it became our guiding principle that whatever we display, — let it be a drawing, a picture, or a model, — it must also be artistically irreproachable, without, of course, the least injury to scientific truth. This is the cause why the inner architecture, and to some extent the furnishings, adapt themselves to the material, consisting of fossils and rocks, and have the appearance of being also of stone. Of this cause, we painted the artistical frescoes, reflecting the atmosphere of the several geological eras, especially above the display cases ; and endeavoured to attain solutions satisfactory also for the artistical sense and taste, with special regard to the composition and execution of the animal models. True, solutions of this kind are also more expensive, — albeit the majority of the artistical work had been done by our own artists, — yet it is our profound belief that the impression made on, and taken away by, the visitors of an exhibition built on these principles is more valuable by far than the saving attained by cheaper accomplishments. II. On the ground of the principles for the execution of the exhibition discussed above, we drew up the thematic plan. I will expound it below, with some notes concerning its practical execution (cf. the blueprint of the exhibition). I. Science and Geology (Introductory part). A) Geology and Paleontology on the wrong way (in the smaller room, left side wall). a) Ancient conceptions of the Earth : in India, Greece, and the Middle Ages; b) a paleontological exhibition in the Middle Ages ; c) Middle Age explanations concerning fossils (Bufonites, Oculi serpentum, the coins of St. László, the bones of giants, the rocks of the Holy Spirit, Polyphemus, dragons, lusus naturae, Homo diluvii trist is testis, chirotae, the Flood). Illustrative material : actual fossils, photographs, drawings. B) The Earth and her Living World in the light of Science. General and basic principles of geology (in the smaller room, left side wall) : a) The formation of the Earth; b) the materials of the Earth: magmatic rocks, volcanism, sedimentary rocks and their formation, land and marine sediments, metamorphic rocks ; c) changes in the crust of the Earth : the works of water, wind, frost ; d) the movements of the crust : movements forming continents, orogenic movements, earthquakes and their structural elements. — Illustrative material : rocks, photographs, drawings, maps. C) The interrelations oî the Earth and Life ; the geological role of the living world (in the smaller room, left side wall) : a) The plausible explanation of the origin of life; b) the present distribution of organic life, its regions, the characterization of the regions ; c) the organic fossils of the history of life ; d) the reconstruction of the Earth and the fossils of the history of life ; e) the ageindicating role and practical significances of the fossils. — Illustrative material : fossils, drawings, photographs. (Plate XII.) II. Geological History : the Several Stages of the History of Evolution (the left side wall of the large hall). A) The Archeozoic Era (a corner case) :