DAYTON, Ohio (AP) – The leader of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says it plans to put its national archives in Dayton.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald announced Tuesday that the agency’s massive archives will be housed on the campus of the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The two buildings that will hold the archives are each more than a century old and will undergo $20 million in rehabilitations. The archive will serve as an education center for the public and will contain archival records, memorabilia, artwork and other artifacts.

Sen. Sherrod Brown says locating the archives in the city would build upon the area’s historic military ties and boost economic development and tourism for the region.