The Adopt-an-Artifact Fundraiser is back at The Galt Museum.

From Nov. 1 to 30 people can go on the Adopt-An-Artifact website to place a bid.

Collections assistant, Nicole Hembroff organizes one of 23 items up for bid in the Adopt-An-Artifact Fundraiser taking place Nov. 1-30.

The bidding ends on Nov. 30 with the highest bidder receiving a framed picture of the artifact and history about the item.

The museum is offering 23 items up for adoption, including matches from the  Beefeater restaurant.

“The restaurant was really  famous for a very long time in Lethbridge,” said Lori Harasem, special events co-ordinator at the Galt.

An outdoor thermometer from a company that was both a funeral home and an ambulance service, Flock’s Funeral and Ambulance Service is also being offered for adoption.

“We thought that was kind of funny because you’d probably not want to call that ambulance service if their second job is running a funeral home,” said Harasem.

Harasem and a volunteer look through 17,000 artifacts for items that would be appropriate for different age groups.

“We try to find things that people who lived in Lethbridge in different eras would maybe recognize,” said Harasem.

Over the years, the Galt has found some interesting artifacts to put up for adoption, including a broach with a bird’s claw on it, a cottage cheese container, and a jar of jelly beans from the 1940s or 1950s.

“When we say we have 17,000 artifacts, people don’t realize what we actually have,” said Harasem.

The idea evolved from the same idea as the World Vision Christmas catalog where people can buy something for a family like a chicken.

According to Lori Harasem, Adopt-an-Artifact takes place in November, because people who often bid are starting to think about Christmas and want a unique item to give to someone.

Harasem stresses the importance that artifacts are just for “adoption” and the artifacts remain in the possession of the museum.

“If  (the high bidders) want to come visit their artifact we can definitely set up a free behind-the-scenes tour, so they can come check out not only what they bid on but other items down there,” said Harasem.

“(The Galt Museum and Archives ) would like to raise $1,000 because the money we raise does go towards the needs of the collections.”

We are responsible not only for the (upkeep of the) 17,000 artifacts, but  we have like 300,000 photographs and manuscripts, so there is a cost to properly care for them .”