The Field Museum of Natural History received a $4 million grant from the Monsanto Co. that will help fund an exhibit titled “Life Underground: Foundations of the Biosphere,” scheduled to open in the spring of 1999, officials said Monday.
“We’re very pleased by Monsanto’s exceptional interest,” said Willard White, the Field Museum’s vice president for institutional advancement. “This is really a major endorsement for our science, our collections, our research and the education program that we run for millions of children.”
White said $3 million of the grant will go to fund the $12 million exhibit on soil ecosystems and their role in supporting life on Earth, and $1 million will go toward educational programs.
“There is magic in creating an underground world so that when we shrink you to 1 percent of your current size, you will be able to enter this world where everything is super-scaled,” White said. “You will see root systems, fungal systems, nutrient systems and decomposition–all on a scale that is visible.” White said the exhibit will illustrate how important healthy soil is to life.
