About Us

Mission Statement:

The 82d Airborne Division War Memorial Museum was established in 1945 to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history of the Division from 1917 to the present. The primary purpose of the museum is education: To tell the military and civilian communities about the Division.

Hours of Operation:

Tuesday – Saturday: 1000 – 1630
Closed: Monday and Sunday
Open on the following Federal Holidays: MLK Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veterans’ Day. Closed all other Federal Holidays.

The museum is comprised of four full-time staff.

Mr. John Aarsen – Director
Mr. Jimmie Hallis – Curator
Mr. Ralph Alvarez – Museum Technician
Ms. Shantay McQueen – Gift Shop Manager

Exhibit Gallery. The gallery is a self-guided, 5600+ square feet area that begins with the Division’s founding in World War I, and continues as a timeline to the present, covering the 82d’s participation in The Global War on Terrorism. All artifacts in the museum are original, and were used by, for, with or against Division Troopers throughout its history.

Museum Theater. Our theater seats 64 people and has a stage area for presentations. The theater is available for booking to host unit training, Tuesday through Saturday during normal hours of operation. A 25 minute movie highlighting 82d Airborne Division history is shown daily on the hour, and by request. It is a great preface to what you will see and read in the main exhibit gallery. The movie is available for purchase in the Gift Shop.

Museum Grounds. Our seven acre site contains The Airborne Airpark, which has almost every aircraft Paratroopers have jumped from since World War II. Captured and used artillery pieces are also on display, including an M-551 Sheridan airdropped into Panama during Operation JUST CAUSE. There are numerous memorials on the grounds. The Division Memorial honors all Soldiers and Paratroopers who have served with the 82d. Other memorials include the street markers from the Old Division area, which were moved when the museum was built, Operation POWER PACK, Golden Brigade Memorial for Vietnam, the 328th Infantry Rock (World War I), 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion and Waal River Crossing Stone, the Global War on Terrorism Memorial, and several others from inactivated units of the 82d.

Museum Archive. The archive and library is used by the museum staff to support the 82d Airborne Division and organic, subordinate unit requests for historical information.

Military Units. If you are an 82d Airborne Division unit and require historical research regarding your unit, please call or come by the museum to submit a formal request and discuss the requirements.

Public at Large. Requests for historical research on individuals, units, or specific 82d events by the public are accepted, but are completed as a courtesy, and as the museum staff has time.

Walk-in research requests by the public are not permitted due to limited staffing, primary support of the Division, and the museum’s calendar of events. On-site research can be done Tuesday through Friday during normal museum hours of operation. A confirmed appointment with a museum staff member is required.

 

 Disclaimer: The 82d Airborne Division Historical Society is not endorsed by DOD. “This is a non-federal entity.  It is not a part of the department of defense or any of its components and has no governmental status.”