ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Soldiers Memorial Military Museum in St. Louis is closed for a two-year renovation project.

The Missouri Historical Society and St. Louis officials held a flag lowering ceremony Sunday to officially close the 80-year-old downtown museum. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/1LOeDft ) the museum is undergoing a $30 million renovation designed to transform it and make it more functional.

The city owns the museum. Last year, the city signed a contract with the Historical Society, which runs the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, to restore and operate the memorial.

The complex, which was built to honor of World War I veterans, includes a nearby World War II memorial.

Historical Society leaders pledge to create a “state-of-the-art” facility to honor military service, veterans and their families.