Associated Press - July 2, 2009 7:45 AM ET

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Volunteers have formed a group to raise money to reopen the University of Wyoming's geological museum.

The S.H. Knight Geology Museum was closed to the public Tuesday.

Closing the museum and eliminating the jobs of the curator and two part-time workers is expected to save the university about $80,000. The school's budget is being cut by $18.3 million under a 10% budget reduction ordered by Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

University officials say the museum maintain the collections.

Beth Southwell, an 18-year volunteer at the museum, says a group called Friends of the S.H. Knight Geological Museum will try to raise the money to reopen the facility.

Information from: Casper Star-Tribune - Casper, http://www.trib.com

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