ectly connected with them to
keep informed of the latest and most improved methods of construction,
or, in fact, to easily obtain information when desired. To architects,
whose business it is to be familiar with the best and most economical
method of solving any building problem, it is often difficult to find
the information desired, as the field is so wide and the inventions and
improvements multiply so rapidly. To meet the requirements of intending
builders, as well as architects, permanent exhibits of building
materials have been established in several of the principal cities of
the United States, where it is possible to see specimens of the actual
materials, appliances, and latest inventions used in modern
construction. There are such exhibits in Chicago, Philadelphia, New
York, and Brooklyn; and all are proving indispensable in their special
fields.

The Chicago exhibit, known as the Institute of Building Arts, located at
from 63 to 69 Washington Street, is owned and managed directly by the
Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and has been
controlled in this way for the past five years.

It was established for the purpose of centralizing information relating
to buildings, and collecting in a permanent exhibition all materials,
appliances, or inventions of a practical or ornamental character. Its
advantages are: First, educational, by placing before the interested
public an aggregation of building intelligence in the form of exhibits
of the actual materials, appliances, and inventions employed in modern
construction. Second, that in the fact of such centralization of
materials, a vast amount of time is saved to the public concerned in
building interests. For those who desire to build, information is not
only gained regarding a large variety of improvements, but obtained in a
minimum quantity of time.

The Institute of Building Arts is free to the visiting public, who are
welcome to all its advantages of information and to the inspection of
the numerous exhibits it contains. It furnishes gratuitously, to any one
who may inquire, information relating to building improvements. It
maintains a series of tests of materials, the results of which may be
obtained by anyone asking for them. Courses of lectures given by skilful
specialists instructive in the many sciences and arts of Architecture
are given under its auspices.

The management of the Institute is strictly impartial as to the merits
of t