Since 1957 the Quartermaster Museum has preserved the history and heritage of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, the Army's oldest logistic branch. For more than two centuries Quartermaster soldiers have fed, clothed and equipped the United States Army.
The Museum receives over 70,000 visitors a year, including over 17,000 Quartermaster soldiers who get history training.
To collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history of the Quartermaster Corps from 1775 to the present. To this end, the Museum has collected nearly 24,000 artifacts relating to the Corps' history and has assembled thousands of documents relating to quartermasters.
Since 1957 the Quartermaster Museum has preserved the history and heritage of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, the Army’s oldest logistical branch. The beginning of the museum can be traced to the late 19th century when General Montgomery C. Meigs initiated a small collection of items related to quartermasters. This expanded with a collection housed in the munitions building in Washington D.C. in the early 20th century.
In 1953 the Quartermaster School at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia organized a collection of reproduction period uniforms for use in the school’s courses of instruction on uniform fitting and sizing. In 1954 two World War II vintage buildings were opened to house the uniforms. This popular classroom exhibit was often referred to as the “museum”.
The museum was officially established in February 1957, with these uniforms and donations of quartermaster related items forming the core of the collection.
The 20,000 square foot main museum building was completed in June 1963. Construction was funded by private contributions and loans to the Quartermaster Memorial Corporation (now the Army Quartermaster Foundation, Inc.). Upon completion the building was donated to the U.S. Government.
Fund raising efforts by the Army Quartermaster Foundation, Inc., have continued over the years. In October 1993, the museum added a 1,200 square foot 100 seat multipurpose auditorium dedicated to Major General Robert M. Littlejohn. In June 1998 a 4,200 square foot research and learning center was completed and dedicated to Major General Joseph E. Pieklik, the driving force behind fund raising for this expansion effort. This addition houses the museum’s storage collection, library, archival storage, and conservation laboratory.
In 2013 a new 4,000 sq. ft. multi-use addition was put on the back entrance of the museum and serves as the museum’s education facility for Soldier training, school programs, and command sponsored events. In 2015 the Littlejohn Auditorium was completed renovated and serves as the Quartermaster Regimental Room.
The Quartermaster Museum is certified by the Chief, U.S. Army Center of Military History and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The Museum offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including assisting with conducting education programs both for school classes and outreach, working with archives and artifact collections, and performing research in support of programs and exhibits. For more information, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 734-4184.
Students majoring in history or related fields and interested in obtaining museum experience, are encouraged to intern at the Museum. Interns perform the same duties as volunteers but receive credit from their home universities. Interested students can call the Volunteer Coordinator at 734-4184.
