Plans announced for new building at Monmouth University that will house Bruce Springsteen archives
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (WABC) -- The Boss is getting his own museum and no surprise it's in his home state of New Jersey.
Monmouth University announced Wednesday it's creating a 30,000-square-foot facility on its campus which will house Bruce Springsteen's archives. The school is launching a campaign to raise $45 million for the project.
"Having a building with your name on it is a tricky thing because I'm still alive," Springsteen said.
The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music will be housed on the Boss' old stomping grounds.
Before he was The Boss and when his band was Steel Mill, he played free concerts on the lawn in the late '60s for students at what was then Monmouth college.
Springsteen says he's honored by the dedication.
"Now (my personal effects) will have someplace to go other than my house," Springsteen joked. "I'm planning on getting all of the junk out of my house because it was really getting cluttered in there and so now I've got some place to put that stuff."
The center will feature exhibits on Springsteen and include rare film footage. There will also be intimate concert spaces, workshops, lectures, and other programs.
Springsteen got plenty of love from fans and school bosses who have big dreams for the venue shooting for a 2026 opening.
"And dig deep not just in the legacy of Springsteen, but in the incredible great legacy of American music," said Robert Santelli, Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music.
Santelli is also the former director of the Grammy Museum.
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