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Soldiers National Museum In Gettysburg To Close

GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Gettysburg museum featuring a model Confederate encampment and many Civil War artifacts is closing after more than half a century.

Officials say the Soldiers National Museum will close its doors Nov. 2. An auction of museum materials will be held Nov. 21-22, days after the 151st anniversary of the Gettysburg Address.

Matt Felty, president of Gettysburg Tours, Inc., which owns the museum and several other attractions, said visitors at Gettysburg are looking for more interactive displays than the museum provides.

He said making it competitive with other attractions such as the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum Visitor Center would require an investment "well into six figures."

The collection includes Civil War artifacts, rare toy soldiers from various eras, a life-size nighttime Confederate encampment scene and several handmade dioramas.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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