About the Museum Design

The centerpiece of the National Museum of the United States Army will be a major exhibition facility where the stories of Army Soldiers will be joined with thousands of artifacts, documents, and images tracing the colorful history of the United States Army from colonial times to today. A series of chronological galleries and thematic galleries will show visitors what it means to be a Soldier in times of both war and peace.

The Army has been a constant presence of defense and security. Soldiers have led the way during ten major wars and nearly 200 campaigns. The impact of the Army has literally reshaped the map of our nation and world. “Service and Sacrifice” will be the dominant theme throughout the Museum.

Galleries will show the Army’s strength as an agent of peace and nation-building. Soldiers have conducted countless missions in the areas of exploration and discovery, science and technology, communications and cooperation, and recovery and disaster relief. The ingenuity of American Soldiers has greatly aided the nation’s progress and prosperity during more than 230 years.

As of early September 2008, the Army Corps of Engineers has selected the Museum's architectural and exhibit design firms. The internationally renowned architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has been selected to design the National Army Museum at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, while Christopher Chadbourne & Associates (CCA) of Boston will oversee the planning, design, and fabrication of the Museum’s galleries and exhibits.  To learn more about the selection of these firms, click here.

Click here to see conceptual renderings of the National Army Museum by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.