The Preservation Trust of Vermont has signed an option to purchase the Vermont Marble Museum in Proctor. 

The museum's owners had indicated that they would close their doors by the end of this year.

Paul Bruhn is the executive director of the Preservation Trust.

Bruhn says he would hate to see the museum's contents auctioned off. "The Marble Museum tells the story of the Vermont Marble Company and marble in Vermont, so when you couple those things, it tells a very important story about our history and our heritage."  

Bruhn says the Preservation Trust signed an option on Tuesday to buy the museum's contents and the 90,000 square foot building. 

"Our second goal is that we need to find an organization that would take on the responsibility of operating the museum and being the steward of the museum collection over the long term," he explained. 

Bruhn says the Preservation Trust has until the end of the year to raise the $880,000 needed to purchase the Proctor landmark.