VAN METER, Iowa - A museum honouring the late Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Bob Feller will be transformed into Van Meter's new city hall.

The museum, which opened in 1995 in Van Meter, closed earlier this year and housed commemorative items from Bob Feller's time growing up in Iowa and baseball career. Feller played for the Cleveland Indians, winning 266 games and tossing three no-hitters.

He died in 2010, The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/1AjVrV0 ) reported.

Part of the museum's collection will be sent to the Cleveland Indians, but some items will remain on display at Van Meter's new city hall, which will open next year.

"The imagery associated with the museum is sort of intertwined with our brand as a city," said Van Meter city administrator Jake Anderson. "We wouldn't allow it to just close. We had to do something."

Since Feller's death, the museum has seen a decline in its membership and interest. Fellow Hall of Famers dropped in for appearances at the Bob Feller Museum, making it a hot spot for autograph collectors.

But after Feller died, the museum had difficulty booking well-known figures. It was forced to temporarily shut down and to trim its hours.

"He truly was the engine that made that place run and with his passing, the museum struggled," said board member Bob DiBiasio, who also works as the senior vice-president of public affairs for the Indians.

Brandon Sawalich, the museum board's president, said the museum closed following the World Series. The museum's membership voted to transfer the building and land to the city and the museum's artifacts to the Indians charity.

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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com