The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center in Connecticut. Photo from Facebook

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut is closing its museum for the winter.

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center won't reopen until May 2015. This is the first seasonal closing since the $193 million facility opened in 1998, The Hartford Courant reported.

"The closure presents opportunities to focus our energy and resources on long-term strategic planning, strengthening the organization's funding model, and conducting important maintenance and repair activities that can't be done while the building is open to the public," Chairman Rodney Butler said in a statement to the paper.

The tribe has been tightening its finances due to falling revenues at its casino.

Get the Story:
Pequot Museum Closes For First-Ever Winter Hiatus (The Hartford Courant 12/2)

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Mashantucket Tribe hits rough spot as gaming revenues falter (12/1)