George Brown Goode

George Brown Goode (1851–1896) was an American ichthyologist, historian of science, and museum administrator, born in New Albany, Indiana. He studied at Wesleyan University and later trained under the noted scientist Spencer Baird, who became his mentor and brought him to the Smithsonian Institution. Goode joined the U.S. Fish Commission in the 1870s and built a reputation as a leading authority on ichthyology, publishing extensively on the fishes of North America. At the same time, he rose to prominence at the Smithsonian, where he was appointed assistant secretary in charge of the National Museum in 1887.

Goode played a central role in shaping the Smithsonian’s museum practices, insisting that collections should be presented in a way that emphasized education, context, and public service. He oversaw major international expositions, including the Centennial Exposition of 1876 and the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, where he organized the Smithsonian’s displays. Beyond natural history, he also wrote on the history of science and the role of museums in society, publishing the influential Principles of Museum Administration posthumously in 1895. Goode died suddenly in 1896 at the age of 45, leaving a legacy as both a scientist and one of the most important early museum administrators in the United States.