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About the Museum
The Vision
The National Mounted Warfare Foundation is building a world-class museum in the heart of Texas next to Fort Hood to honor our mounted soldiers and to tell their untold story. The National Mounted Warrior Museum (NMWM) will represent the history of mounted soldiers - the ones that rode into battle on horseback, as well as the tankers and infantrymen, the artillerymen and aviators, the logisticians, engineers, military policemen, signal soldiers, and intelligence soldiers who fought alongside. This is the story of the mounted soldiers' combined team efforts, a force for freedom so many times in our nation's history.
Projected to open in 2022, Phase I of the Museum will be a 28,700 square foot structure including 13,000 square feet of interactive and immersive permanent exhibit galleries and over 7,000 square feet of temporary exhibit space. Phases II through VI are sequentially projected for construction once Phase I is underway.
The U.S. Army is allowing the Foundation to build the NMWM on a 17 acre plot of land in the immediate vicinity of Fort Hood. This location is outside the security perimeter of the post to allow for easy access by both military and civilian visitors. Once the NMWM is complete, the two current museums on post (1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cavalry Regiment) will close, and the Army will assume responsibility for operations, maintenance, utilities, and security of the NMWM and its grounds, and will transfer the curatorial staffs from the two current museums to the NMWM.
Stories
Museums are known for their use of artifacts and technologies, but at the core, they are really about telling stories – and using those artifacts and technologies to interpret the stories in a way that provides visitors with context and a deeper understanding of the stories. The NMWM will share a number of stories:
- The stories of the evolution, growth, and shared histories of Fort Hood and the Central Texas communities that surround it, from the rich history of the region prior to the establishment of Fort Hood to the present environment of mutual development and goodwill.
- The stories of the numerous units and soldiers that have served at Fort Hood and their contributions to the Nation’s defense. From the early days of the Tank Destroyers and the 761st Tank Battalion to the legendary units of today – the 1st Cavalry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment – Fort Hood has been home to the premiere units in the US Army.
- The stories of the notable individuals who have been associated with Fort Hood, its units, and the Central Texas region.
- The stories of military technology and innovation.
Areas of Emphasis
- Education. The Museum will provide a safe and exciting learning environment for students from the 110 schools in the Independent School Districts (ISDs) surrounding Fort Hood. Thanks to our partnership with the Killeen and Copperas Cove ISDs, the Museum’s storyline will be closely integrated with the curriculum requirements and initiatives at both the state and local levels to ensure that students gain an educational benefit from their museum experience. The Museum will also serve as a physical and digital resource for colleges, universities, and military scholars across the United States and around the world.
- Families and Children. The Museum will provide an age-appropriate visitor experience to ensure that children of all ages are able to enjoy their visit. Focused exhibits such as “On the Homefront” and “Little Troopers Area” will be present in each gallery to speak to the demographics represented by families
- Interactivity and technology. The Museum will be both interactive and technologically advanced, designed to both entertain and educate our visitors with exhibits that capture the imagination and attention. Touch tables and walls, smart phone / tablet applications, virtual docents, simulations, and interactive displays will give the visitor an immersive experience that will encourage them to make return visits
- Diversity. The Museum will celebrate the diversity enjoyed both in the US Army and the Central Texas region. As evidenced by our stories about the Women’s Army Corps and Jackie Robinson (and others), Fort Hood is the birthplace of both gender and racial integration of the US Armed Forces, and the demographic makeup of our soldiers and the citizens in the surrounding communities shows the successful impact of diversity in the region, in Texas, and across the United States
Economic Impact
Central Texas does not currently have a destination activity to draw people to the region; the NMWM will fill that void. Our Master Planner, Lord Cultural Resources, estimates that the museum will draw 265,000 visitors to the Central Texas region annually, 197,000 from outside the immediate Killeen-Temple MSA. These visitors will add a minimum of $5M in annual economic impact to the local communities.
We welcome you to "Step Into This Story" and become a part of something bigger than yourself.
