Beloit, Sep 26 (AP/UNB) — The Wisconsin museum that holds the record for the world's largest collection of angels is closing.
Joyce Berg, who helped start The Angel Museum 20 years ago with her personal collection, says it is shutting down due to lack of funds, membership, corporate sponsors and volunteers.
Berg and her late husband, Lowell, started collecting in 1976 and now hold the record for 13,165 angels. The museum also has 600 African-American angels donated by Oprah Winfrey.
Berg estimates that at least 180,000 people have made it through the museum in Beloit, which was a former church.
The last day is Saturday. The 87-year-old Berg says the closing is "bittersweet."
She plans to keep some angels but has hired an auction company to sell most of them. She says she hopes the angels can stay together.