Books and movies tell stories of children lost or locked in museums after closing or even fleeing to a museum to teach their parents a lesson. Adele Smith Simmons really did grow up in the Field Museum while her mother, Ellen Thorne Smith, volunteered in the bird collection. "My mother essentially ran the ornithology department during WWII when the men were away. I wandered those enormous halls on the third floor, sometimes with my friends," Adele says.
"Like so many other people, nature renews my spirit. The Field Museum inspires awe and curiosity about the natural world in people and encourages their own journeys of discovery. The collections, the scientists who do research and go on expeditions, and the exhibitions all describe a world that still has so much to teach us humans," she adds.
Adele brings this history and her experience gained during a remarkable professional career to the Field Museum's Board of Trustees. The former president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Adele also served as president of Hampshire College. She is a highly respected civic leader and accomplished scholar who relishes time spent outdoors.
"When the time came to get serious about my estate plan, including a bequest for the Field Museum was an obvious choice for me," Adele says. "I know my relationship with the Field Museum is unique, but the desire to leave the world better than we found it is universal.
"It's a privilege to serve on the Board of the Field Museum. More than ever, I realize we're all on this planet together, and the Field Museum is an amazing resource for bringing people together and educating future generations."
The Edward E. Ayer Society honors those who have included the Field Museum in their estate plans or other planned gifts. To learn more about a variety of ways you can give, please contact Bill Lynerd at 312.665.7286 or blynerd@fieldmuseum.org. Your gift will help the Field Museum continue to be a resource for educating future generations.