OPENING OF MUSEUMS ON SUNDAYS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 95, 27 February 1879, Page 2

OPENING OF MUSEUMS ON SUNDAYS.

At a recent meeting of the Social Scienco Congress, at Cheltenham, Mr T. S., Harsfall, of Manchester, read a paper to a large audience on " The Opening of Museums on Sunday," He said to bring art within the reach of the people generally, people must be permitted to give part of Sunday to tho study of pictures and the lessons taught by them. Some picture galleries wero already opened on Sundays; other that now remain close should be opened at once. Each picture should have attached to it a few clearly-printed lines of explanation Good music should be provided in the galleries on Sunday afternoon. Such galleries as these, if open when the several classes of the community would be

ablo to visit them togather, would bring about a kindly fellowship between rich and poor, which would do more for religion than lessons in Scripture, history, and geography. If people refused to use tliese meats, and termed them a desecration of Sunday, then it was to be feared that it would be fruitless to attempt by any means to bring good examples of art within reach of the English people, A second paper was read on the subject by Colonel Blair, who strongly supported tho opening of art galleries oil Sundays, as also did the following who" took part in the discussion: —Mr Ma-k, H. Judge, Mr James Heywood, F.R.S., Mr 'Philipßathbone, and the Rev John Robberts of Cheltenham. The chairman, Mr Gambier Parry, in summing up tho discussion, expressed his surprise that there should have been an unanimous feeling in so large a meeting. They seemed, to be proof against divergence, for when a layman proposed the opening of museums and art galleries on Sundays a clergyman came forward to say how cordially lie approved of such a measure. Some of tho religious papers, perhaps, will be good enough to make a note of this,