From merit badges and uniforms to an impressive collection of Norman Rockwell paintings and drawings, the Boy Scouts of America will be packing up more than a century of scouting history and taking it to the wilds of northern New Mexico.
The Irving-based organization announced Monday that it'll move its national museum from its current home in Irving to the Philmont Scout Ranch, which has served as an adventure destination for generations of troops and their families.
Not everyone is happy about the move.
“It's disappointing," said Sara McAldmond, a mother of a scout. "We love coming here [to Irving]; I love coming here with my son. He's in Cub Scouts and its great to have it local. It's a great museum, but we're disappointed.”
Plans call for expanding the existing Philmont Museum and Seton Memorial Library to make room for a collection that includes more than 600,000 items and reams of historical documents and photographs.
Construction is expected to start next year.
With the ranch hosting more than 32,000 visitors each year, officials say more people will get to see the national collection.
