Soldiers’ stories are at the heart of the new National Museum of the United States Army. The country’s newest military museum honors the accomplishments, sacrifices, and commitment of American Soldiers. Across eleven galleries, almost 1400 artifacts, 19 macro artifacts, and 70 cast figures tell the story of America’s Army.
“America’s Soldiers are among the finest of our citizenry and have been instrumental in forming, advancing, and protecting our nation. The Museum tells these stories through the very eyes and voices of our Soldiers.”
D&P’s latest project opened November 11, 2020 with a parachute jump by the Golden Knights. Eleven galleries explore the Soldiers’ Story from the Revolutionary War to the most recent conflicts in Iran and Iraq.
The experience starts with the Soldiers Stories pylons. Each stainless-steel pylon is etched with a Soldier’s image and his or her biography. Forty-one pylons offer Museum visitors a unique window into the Soldier’s experience all historic periods. Beginning outside and leading visitors inside, the stories frame the visitor experience.
Founding the Nation examines the Army’s history from the colonial period to the War of 1812. A theater and artifacts, including Revolutionary War-era cannon, set the stage for the formation of the American Army.
Preserving the Nation confronts the crisis of the Civil War. This gallery further interprets the Army’s role in westward expansion, including the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Indian Wars and the Mexican War. An array of artifacts including uniforms and flags require special exhibit conditions.
The Nation Overseas details the United States’ Army moving to a global stage. A highlight is the immersive World War I experience. Visitors cross over a scenic trench through a life-size battle diorama whose lights and period film footage capture the feeling of a moment in time.
The Global War gallery transports visitors to the beaches of Normandy where it examines the Army’s role in World War II. It features one of the six surviving “Higgins” boats to have participated in the D-Day landing. The M4 Sherman “Cobra King” Tank was installed on building foundations, and the Museum constructed around it.
The Cold War gallery brings visitors to the mid-twentieth century where covert operations and a border stand-off framed the period. The entrance features an immersive theatrical experience that imbues visitors with the uncertainty Soldiers stationed on the East-West German border felt, never knowing if the next call to action was a drill or the real thing. The gallery further discusses the wars in Korea and Vietnam, where the experience of individual soldiers is brought home by surviving personal artifacts.
In the Changing World visitors experience events through which many of them lived. The exhibits start with the fall of the Soviet Union and progress through the Afghanistan and Iraq operations. A combat tank was installed on building foundations, and the Museum constructed around it.
The Army and Society gallery explores the influences of the Army on society and changing culture on the Army. A life size reproduction of the Wright Flyer reminds visitors that the Army played a key role in developing aviation technology.
That National Museum of the United States Army is a proud testament to the men and women who have served over almost 250 years. D&P is proud to have had a role in bringing their stories to life.