I am very excited to learn of Sue’s new home at the Field Museum of Natural History. Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton known, is an invaluable find. Humanity owes a debt of gratitude to the McDonald’s Corp., the Walt Disney Co. and countless others who helped fund the purchase of the fossil.
Both public and private parties came together from across the country to bid at auction for this extremely rare asset. But what would have happened if this jewel of Earth history had walked away into a private collection?
Ordinary citizens and educators have the right to observe and study the dinosaur fossil just as much as any rich collector. How will society ensure that other valuable fossils remain in the public’s hands?
Perhaps a consortium of museums from across the country can create a collective fund to purchase other relics. The newly purchased fossils can then be rotated among the museums. The trend of auctioning off public treasures to the highest bidder is probably here to stay, but with the collective effort of museums across the country, these treasures can remain public.
