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Some Hopefull News about the Ordnance Museum & BRAC
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Neil_Baumgardner
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Joined: Jan 24, 2006
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Location: Arlington, VA

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:23 pm
Post subject: Some Hopefull News about the Ordnance Museum & BRAC

Actually Bob & I have heard about this, but this month's Washington Armor Club newsletter has a good summary of what COULD happen to the Ordnance Museum... Paragraph number 2 has the meat of the news, while number 3 is the big "IF."

While there are a lot of concerns about moving the Ordnance Museum's artifacts (especially the larger ones like Anzio Annie and ones that havent hardly moved in 40 or so years), frankly this could be the best thing to ever happen to the collection IMO. I also like how the state of Virginia has agreed to move a highway to allowed unrestricted access to the museum.

On a side note, have been hearing conflicting things about the Patton Museum as noted in paragraph 1. It now appears that only "duplicates" will stay at Knox and the rest will go to Benning?

Neil

"1. Dr. Cureton attended the Feb Ordnance meeting, he is Chief of Military Museums at Fort Monroe, and he explained that this BRAC is historic in the scale and scope of School and Museum moves. The Air Defense School and museum have always been located at Ft. Bliss, TX, and will move to Ft. Sill, OK. The Air Defense Museum has about 60 weapon systems in its collection. The Armor School and museum have always been located at Ft. Knox, KY, and will move to Ft. Benning, GA. The Armor Museum has some 200 tanks, many of which are duplicates, which may support leaving the duplicates behind at Ft. Knox. The Ordnance School and museum have always been at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and the most likely move will see select artifacts go to Ft. Lee, VA. The Ordnance Museum has some 200 large artifacts, which are very rare, and unique, one of a kind, many of which are very large."

"2. Plans are in the works to build a museum complex at Ft. Lee, VA, which includes a new 175K sq. ft. building for the Ordnance Museum. This museum complex includes the Quartermaster Museum, the WomenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Army Museum (both currently at Ft. Lee), the Ordnance Museum (from APG), and the Transportation Leaders Museum (from Ft. Eustis, VA). This will create the largest collection of artifacts of its kind on the east coast outside of the Mall in DC. The state of VA has also indicated that they are willing to move the highway at Ft. Lee to create unrestricted access by the public for this museum complex. Dr. Cureton pointed out that location is key to the success of any museum and gave international examples of museums that are successful or not depending upon their location. Unrestricted access (unlike APG) off a key transportation corridor is an attractive option at Ft. Lee. More importantly, the Ordnance MuseumÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s collection will be displayed in covered storage, for the first time allowing the entire collection to be on display, protected from the elements, which are destroying them at APG. The large artifacts can not only be rendered environmentally safe, renovated and restored to their original condition and colors, but can also be displayed in a secure environment allowing them to be outfitted with their appropriate ancillary artifacts and weapons. The [remaining] Ordnance Museum would possibly be renamed as the Aberdeen Museum and house the remaining artifacts inside."

"3. Key to the success of this plan is funding of the new building, anticipated to cost around $24 million. Transportation and movement of the artifacts can be accomplished with Army assets over time. The approval and funding process has just begun and Dr. Cureton has agreed to return and update the Foundation if we so desire."

www.wacbgmvt.org/pdf/issue45.pdf

Neil

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