Copper Scroll. (photo/courtesy of West Semitic Research)

The San Diego Natural History Museum is working with a pre-opening budget of $6 million to bring the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition to town on June 29 and expects an additional $4 million in expenses by its Dec. 31 end. To help cover the costs, it is receiving support from a wide array of sponsors and business partners — corporations, foundations, banks, academic institutions, media and individuals.

“Some sponsors are making cash donations, others are gifts-in-kind and some are combinations,” says Delle Willett, marketing director.

Amtrak is the exhibition transportation sponsor. In July and October, it will put Dead Sea Scrolls promotional material in the Pacific Surfliner seat backs, with rack cards in staffed stations and posters in all of stations along the Surfliner route (36 stations between San Diego and Paso Robles).

Amtrak is offering a 20 percent discount to groups of 20 or more and an additional 15 percent to those 62 and older. It made arrangements with Gray Line San Diego to pick up passengers at the Downtown station after the first two trains arrive in the morning and pick up people up at 4 p.m. in Balboa Park for the trip back to the station.

Several hotels are sending exhibition information to their customers and displaying rack cards and posters in their lobbies. Participating Hiltons are the DoubleTrees in Mission Valley, Hilton San Diego Mission Valley, Hilton San Diego Gaslamp, San Diego Airport/Harbor Island and Embassy Suites San Diego Downtown.

Ralphs will have posters promoting the purchase of exhibit tickets to Ralphs Club cardholders and include information on its mailers. It also will provide Mediterranean food for a Sept. 29 family food-tasting day sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University.

Bank of America is supporting the exhibition in several ways, including mention in three separate mailings to its 6 million-plus customers, encouraging employees to volunteer for the exhibit and underwriting a special cultural event to be determined. The bank’s contributions are valued at $250,000. Another big donor is the Barona Band of Mission Indians, who pledged $300,000. The major donors, however, are Joan and Irwin Jacobs, who donated $1 million.

The museum will be closed to the public June 26-28 for installation of the exhibit. Tickets range from $24 to $28. For information, call (619) 255-0217.

—Manny Cruz