Home / About the Museum 
The National Mounted Warfare Foundation is building a world-class museum in the heart of Texas next to Fort Hood. This museum will honor our mounted soldiers and share the untold stories of their service to our nation. The National Mounted Warrior Museum (NMWM) will feature various immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and educational programs for visitors of all ages and bring history to life. Visitors will discover how mounted warfare has evolved through hearing personal stories from soldiers, learning about Fort Hood's history, gaining insight through simulations, uncovering the military's role in peacekeeping and disaster-relief missions, and much more. The NMWM will be a living testament to the mounted soldiers' team efforts in defense of our country's freedom throughout our nation's history.
We are thrilled to have started construction on the museum and anticipate opening our doors to visitors in late 2022. The U.S. Army has generously allowed us to build the museum on 17 acres near Fort Hood's main gate, allowing easy access for visitors and military members.
The museum will feature extensive exhibits allowing visitors to understand Fort Hood's evolution from a temporary camp to a thriving military post with a critical national defense role. We are thrilled to provide a sneak peek of the following exhibit components:
The artifacts currently displayed in the 1st Cavalry Division museum and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment museum will consolidate into NMWM. The NMWM will have more than four times the exhibit space as the two current museums combined, allowing greater coverage of the 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cavalry Regiment histories. Additionally, the NMWM will share the stories of the other major units associated with Fort Hood - for example, III Corps, the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), the 2nd Armored Division, and the 761st Tank Battalion.
Throughout history, several conflicts have influenced the development and direction of the United States. The NMWM will feature these conflicts that served as the apex of decisive moments in history: World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, and The Global War on Terror
Diversity is the strength of our nation's military, and Fort Hood played a critical role in our military's gender and racial integration. Fort Hood's local communities' demographic makeup demonstrates the impact the post has had on diversity in the region, Texas, and across the United States.
The NMWM will include numerous stories from our servicemen and women to convey their lived experiences. These stories will help visitors understand the rich history of the role of soldiers from Fort Hood and their contributions to the Nation's defense. From its inception, Fort Hood has been home to the premiere units in the U.S. Army.
The stories of the evolution, growth, and shared histories of Fort Hood and the surrounding Central Texas communities will demonstrate the present environment of mutual development and goodwill in the region.
The NMWM will be interactive and technologically advanced, designed to entertain and educate our visitors with exhibits that capture the imagination and attention. The Museum will also feature age-appropriate visitor experiences to engage young visitors and educate them on the importance of our soldiers' contributions to history.
The NMWM will provide a safe and exciting learning environment for students from the numerous schools in the region. The Museum's storyline will reflect the curriculum requirements at the state and local levels to ensure students gain an educational benefit from their museum experience.
The Museum will serve as a physical and digital resource for colleges, universities, and military scholars across the United States and around the world.
Central Texas does not currently have a destination activity to draw people to the region; the NMWM will fill that void. Estimates suggest 265,000 people will visit the Museum in the first year, with 74% of the visitors projected to come from outside the Killeen-Temple MSA. These visitors will add a minimum of $5M in annual economic impact to the local community.
The NMWF has an ongoing campaign to fund the $38.4M museum master plan. Thanks to many generous donors, we are thrilled to have raised $12.95M as of December 2020. We would be honored to count you among our supporters. Please click HERE to learn more about how you can support our efforts. Capital Campaign Chairmen and NMWF Board members Chris Gill of Houston and Dick Sanger of Austin proudly lead a dedicated and robust capital campaign committee. Renowned businessman Drayton McLane serves as the campaign's Honorary Chairman.
