Stuart museum to close

STUART, Fla. - For fifty years, the Elliott Museum has been documenting a century of Florida living, and then some.
You can see what our living rooms looked like, and what we used to keep in our garage. But while a classic car needs a tuneup, this classic collection of Americana needs a little more, like a new home on Hutchinson Island.

Museum deputy director Osvaldo Monzon says they're just out of space.

"We are building state of art facility with 45-thousand square feet. That's double our current space. The new facility will be able to withstand category 5 hurricanes and provide the right conditions for all of the collections," said Monzon.

One of those collections is its baseball memorabilia. The museum claims to have the largest collection of signed baseball cards next to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Exhibit coordinator Lavaine Wrigley said baseball is history.

"If you follow history of baseball, following history of the Negro Leagues and Jackie Robinson, it's the whole history of how we developed," said Wrigley.

The first phase of the capital campaign netted nearly 14-million dollars. The second phase of fundraising kicked off this week and the goal is to raise another 6-million during construction.
The existing Elliott building will be torn down in May with the new museum ready in the spring of 2013.

To celebrate the end of an era, the museum is having a free open house this Sunday from noon until 4 p.m.