PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A small Philadelphia museum that houses more than 10,000 pieces by illustrator Maurice Sendak will be returning most of the collection to the author’s estate.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/1sQSTsP) trustees for Sendak’s foundation are reclaiming the artwork based on instructions in his will. He died in 2012.

Sendak is best known for his classic book “Where the Wild Things Are.” He had a decades-long relationship with the Rosenbach museum and library in Philadelphia.

But Sendak wanted his home in Ridgefield, Connecticut, to be operated as a museum. Rosenbach officials say his artwork, manuscripts and other ephemera will be sent back starting next month.

The Rosenbach will retain about 600 Sendak pieces. The author also left the institution rare editions of books by Herman Melville and Henry James.

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com

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