EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan State University Museum plans to use its largest gift ever to create a curator for the East Lansing facility’s historical collections.

University officials on Friday announced the $1.9 million gift to be funded by the estates of donors. They are Julie Avery, Stephen Stier and Val Berryman. The endowment is named after Berryman, who died in January after serving nearly 50 years as the museum’s curator of history. University officials say the three jointly decided to set aside money before Berryman died.