Chicago Field Museum launches adopt-an-artifact program to benefit $290 million endowment fund

CHICAGO -- A T-Rex skull, two stuffed elephants and a meteorite from Australia are among the more than 20 popular exhibits included in an adopt-an-artifact program started this month by Chicago's Field Museum.\nMoney raised by individuals or corporations participating in the program will go toward the museum's endowment fund, now around $290 million, said Sheila Cawley, the museum's official in charge of the new sponsorship program.\nDonors get their names placed near the exhibit, a meeting with a scientist linked to it, an original work of art and mention on the museum's Web site, Cawley said.\nThe sponsorships start at $25,000 and run as high as $2.5 million for exclusive association with the two African elephants acquired by the museum in 1909.\nSponsoring Bushman the gorilla will cost $1 million. The now-stuffed animal was a big draw at Lincoln Park Zoo until his death in 1951. The body of the 550-pound lowland gorilla was donated to the museum and became a permanent exhibit in 1952.\nThe skull of Sue the T-Rex, one of the Field Museum's best known pieces, and two man-eating Tsavo lions will also cost sponsors $1 million.\nLess expensive sponsorships include the Gladstone meteorite from Australia and a Tibetan statue with multiple arms, which each cost $25,000.\nThe values are roughly linked to an object's fame and size, Cawley said.\nThe Field Museum has more than 23 million artifacts, and the museum could expand the sponsorship program later to include more objects, Cawley said.