Higgins Armory Museum In Worcester Closing For Good

An 82-year-old Massachusetts museum with one of the most extensive collections of arms and armor in the nation is closing for good.

Officials at the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester announced Friday it will permanently close Dec. 31 after failing to raise enough endowment money to ensure its future.

Interim director Suzanne Maas said the "bottom line is there is not enough endowment for us to be sustainable."

The 2,000-piece collection will be moved and integrated into the nearby Worcester Art Museum.

The museum houses suits of armor, helmets and weapons from around the world, and hosts popular events like sleepovers and training in Viking warfare.

It was founded in 1931 when local industrialist John Woodman Higgins built a glass and steel art deco building to house his personal collection.