U.S. Department of Defense

06/09/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/09/2025 13:41

National Museum Salutes Army's 250th Birthday

On June 7, 2025, the National Museum of the United States Army opened its "Call to Arms" exhibit, featuring rare Revolutionary War artifacts, accompanied by stories of the battles and the soldiers who fought in them.

National Museum of the United States Army
A mannequin depicting Sylvanus Wood, a minuteman with the Massachusetts militia who fought at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Long Island and during the siege of Boston, is shown at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va., June 7, 2025.
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National Museum of the United States Army
A mannequin depicting Daniel Nimham, chief of the Wappinger Indian tribe during the Revolutionary War, is shown at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va., June 7, 2025. The display is part of the new "Call to Arms" exhibit at the museum. Nimham enlisted his tribe to help the Patriot cause. He and 15 of his tribe, including his son Abraham, were killed at the Battle of Kingsbridge, Aug. 31, 1778, in Bronx, N.Y.
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Call to Arms
A mannequin depicting Army Sgt. Maj. William Seymour of the Delaware Regiment, Continental Army, is shown at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va., June 7, 2025. The display is part of the new "Call to Arms" exhibit at the museum.
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The 5,000-square-foot space contains 285 artifacts, ranging from guns and cannons to powder horns and uniforms. There are also interactive displays depicting the battles, as well as videos.

When the museum opened, Nov. 11, 2020, it featured several Revolutionary War artifacts. However, realizing the Army's 250th birthday was on June 14, 2025, Museum Director Tammy Call decided more was needed to fully tell the origin story of the Army.

To increase the size of the exhibit, the museum reached out to historical societies, other museums and private collectors across the nation and around the world to see if they were willing to loan their artifacts, she said.

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The museum didn't want just authentic artifacts from the Revolutionary War, which lasted from 1775 to 1783. Instead, it wanted artifacts that were connected to individual stories of the soldiers who owned them. Whether it be weapons, uniforms or other objects, Call said the goal was for the exhibit to tell the stories of all soldiers, not just generals. She noted that the process was not only fulfilling professionally, but it also helped the museum create partnerships for the future.

Call, a former Army ordnance officer, said she hopes the approximately 800,000 museum visitors a year will see the exhibit and other displays and reflect on the service and sacrifice soldiers have made for 250 years, as well as the reasons people serve.

The National Museum of the United States Army is located just outside the gate at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Christmas. Parking and entry are free for everyone.

National Museum of the United States Army
Museum Staffer Daniel Boling performs a demonstration for visitors at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va., June 7, 2025. The performance is part of the new "Call to Arms" exhibit at the museum.
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National Museum of the United States Army
A mannequin depicting Army Lt. Col. John Laurens, who served as Gen. George Washington's aide-de-camp, is shown at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va., June 7, 2025. The display is part of the new "Call to Arms" exhibit at the museum.
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Dozens of volunteer staff are on hand to answer questions. Schools and other groups are welcome to visit without needing advanced reservations.

The "Call to Arms" exhibit will be open until June 2027, when loaned items must be returned. However, the museum still has its own sizable collection of Revolutionary War artifacts, as well as those from other periods.

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U.S. Department of Defense published this content on June 09, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 09, 2025 at 19:41 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io