American Museum on Broadway, New York City

Here, some text from the article in the Gleason's Pictorial that accompanies this engraving:

«Among the many prominent public buildings which grace the principal thoroughfare of New York, and which present themselves to the eye of the artist for illustration in a journal like our own, there are none which offer stronger claims than that of which we have above an exceedingly fine representation. Located at the confluence of the two great thoroughfares of the city, it is an object of great attraction, from the flags, transparencies and paintings with which its exterior is decorated. On gala days, or other occasions of public interest, it bears off the palm by the number and beauty of its decorations; its location affording the finest possible opportunity for display. The American Museum owes its foundation to Mr. John Scudder, who, as long ago as 1810. purchased the stock of a museum which was exhibited in one of the obscure streets of the metropolis, and by judicious additions thereto, made it a source of attraction and interest, not only to the mere seeker after amusement, but to the scientific and enlightened savan. Mr. Scudder's idea was the formation of a national cabinet similar to the British Museum, and he devoted the best years of his life to the pursuit of this object. In his hands it secured the attention of the city government, and a series of rooms was devoted to it in the west end of the new city hall buildings, which are occupied at the present time by the court-rooms, etc., etc. From thence he removed it to the very fine and commodious location it now occupies, where it began to repay him for the time and labor spent in bringing it to its then state of perfection. In his hands, and those of his heirs, it remained until about the year 1840, when a company, who had in 1838 procured a charter from the State Legislature, under the name of the "New York Museum Company," negociated for its purchase. This company had purchased the other museum, located near the corner of Murray street in Broadway, and known as Peale's New York Museum. Their intention was, also, to form a national museum on the plan of those of foreign countries. Their negociations were not, however, pursued with proper energy and despatch, and while they were procrastinating, Mr. Barnum, its present proprietor, purchased the American Museum of the heirs of Scudder. Thus was the glorious Avery opportunity lost to the Museum Company, and their enterprise fell through. In the hands of the present proprietor, the American became the sole source of attraction in the way of museums, and Mr. Peale, who had long buried his youthful energies, and who, although he endeavored for a time to maintain a spirited competition with his more youthful opponent, was obliged, at length, to succumb. His museum was sold, and Barnum was the purchaser. Thus was it left to him to carry out the idea, original with Scudder, and adopted by the New York Museum Company, of a national museum, which should be an honor to our country, and a credit to its projectors. To him, therefore, and to him alone, belongs the credit and the praise of success in an undertaking which had baffled the earnest and continued endeavors of Scudder, and the united efforts of some of the first men of the day. It is no unmerited praise to say of Mr. Barnum that the energy of character and determination of purpose displayed in his course, since he first became the proprietor of this great collection, has seldom if ever been equalled. A better specimen of the true Yankee does not exist, and in saying that, we yield the greatest meed of praise. Finding that his new purchase had cramped him for room, to display properly his immense cabinet, and desirous of carrying out the intentions of the New York Museum Company−which were to purchase the entire block bounded by Broadway, Fulton, Nassau and Ann streets, and to erect thereon a large and commodious building-he purchased the building adjoining on Broadway, known as, and occupied by, the Chemical Bank, and endeavored to purchase the remaining tenements, on Ann street, as well as those upon Broadway. In these endeavors he was unsuccessful, and he was obliged to be content with what he had obtained.»