Field Museum Reorganizes Amid Money Woes

Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History is known for displays such as Sue, the Tyrannosaurus rex.

But it's also one of the world's pre-eminent research centers, with a 25 million-piece collection of plants and animals used to examine everything from genetics to climate change.

Now the museum is setting the scientific world abuzz for another reason: budget problems that are forcing it to cut research staff.

The museum is $170 million in debt and cutting $5 million from next year's budget — the bulk of that from science. That has Field officials fending off talk that its reputation is being damaged.

Field President Richard Lariviere says the museum is poised to recover financially within two years. But some scientists say the cuts in its research operations will be significant.