The Sycamore Community Center soon could be home to some of the world’s biggest stuffed animals, but it must first raise an estimated $1.2 million.

Nearly 350 animal specimens recently donated to the city of Sycamore could be displayed for the public in a museum the center plans to build, but only if everything goes according to plan.

The center has taken two major steps toward this goal so far, said Tami Armstrong, interim director of the museum.

So far, the center has raised $600,000 for the museum through foundations and individual donations, Armstrong said. The museum board also has applied for a $800,000 grant through the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, which will be decided upon next month.

Because of the funding uncertainty, the construction date is unknown, but directors are shooting for the spring of 2003.

“If it takes longer to get to our goal we’ll return to proceed to get donations from fundraising,” Armstrong said.

The second major development was staffing additional people for the museum. Bruce Patterson, the former curator for mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago, is one of those additions.

“He’s an expert for developing a way to visit collections,” Armstrong said. “He’ll know the best way to doing the layout.”

David Beck, from Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Ill., also will join the technical team in helping with layout and content.

On Friday, the initial layout proposal was presented. The layout showed where things like exhibits, touchscreens and computers will be placed.

“They seemed pretty happy with it,” said museum designer Rich Faron. “We are working with an existing building, so we have to work around it and work with it.”

Faron will need to work with any concerns the board might have and talk with the architects from Durrant Architects. That should take place in eight to 10 weeks.

“I’ll hook up with them and show them the idea that I’ll be proposing, to see if it can work,” Faron said.

Where do the animals come from?

The interest for the museum first started when Sycamore residents Russell and Bernie Schelkopf donated from their private collection of more than 350 animals from Africa and North America. Animals include an elephant, giraffe, lion, hippos and bears.

The animals in Africa were taken for land and animal management and preservation.

For example, elephants start to lose their teeth between the ages of 50 through 55. By the time they’re 60, they would have died from starvation. They are taken from the land just before they die.

Armstrong encourages people to ask questions about where the animals came from and how they got there.

“The purpose of the museum is to ask questions,” Armstrong said. “It’s a good thing that people know.”

Patrons also will be able to utilize the tools at the museum for research.

NIU biology professor Peter Meserve will use it as a research tool with students.

“It will be useful for classes,” Meserve said. “They were well-preserved and look like how they were when they were alive.”