Ellis Island collection moved due to Sandy damage

(AP) More than 1 million historical artifacts and documents from the Ellis Island Immigration Museum have been moved to storage facilities while damage to the island from Superstorm Sandy is repaired.

The museum sits on an island next to the Statue of Liberty in the center of New York Harbor. It's closed due to severe damage to its infrastructure. The statue also is closed.

The collection was unharmed by the late October storm. But museum superintendent Dave Luchsinger says it's impossible to maintain the climate-controlled environment needed to protect the artifacts because there's no power.

Most of the items were moved in recent weeks to the federal Museum Resources Center in Landover, Md. The Mudder Museum collection from Ellis Island's Ferry Building previously was moved to the Harpers Ferry conservation center in West Virginia.