As Secretary, he focused on communications and advising the Director and Board on enhancing the museum experience for visitors.

The next year he entered the Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins University as a philosophy student, focusing on mathematics and logic.

Gilman left Johns Hopkins after one year to study in Germany, and did not return to the university, citing health reasons.

[citation needed] He became a student of William James at the Philosophy Department of Harvard University, enrolling there 1883–1885.

[7] In addition, his recordings of music from Fijian, Samoan, Uvean, Javanese, Turkish and other performers at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 are held by the Library of Congress.

[8] In 1893 Gilman was hired as Curator and Librarian at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where he would work for the remainder of his career.