California State Military Museum Closes Unexpectedly

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A Northern California museum dedicated to California's involvement in U.S. military history has closed quietly and unexpectedly.

The Sacramento Bee reported Sunday that the California State Military Museum in Sacramento closed in March amid a dispute between a nonprofit foundation that operates the facility and the California Military Department that oversees it. The dispute and the state's budget woes prompted the museum's closure.

The military department sued the foundation in September, alleging the nonprofit claimed to own 90 percent of the artifacts and interfered with a state audit. The California State Military Museum Foundation countered in court papers that most of the artifacts were donated to it. The foundation also denied interfering with the audit.

The department is seeking ownership of the artifacts and exclusive control of the museum.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.