NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam says the longtime director of the Tennessee State Museum is retiring.

Lois Riggins-Ezzell, who has led the state museum since 1981, will step down at the end of the year. After that, she will retain the title of executive director emeritus.

The state is building a new $120 million state museum north of the Tennessee Capitol and will choose a new director in a nationwide search.

Riggins-Ezzell oversaw the growth of the museum from six staffers working in a basement of the War Memorial Building to its current 120,000-square-foot facilities with 42 employees and an annual budget of $3.8 million, not counting private donations.

Haslam said Riggins-Ezzell has "given her heart and soul to telling Tennessee's story and showcasing its rich history."