America’s Top 10 Historic Military Vehicle Museums

Planning a vacation this year? Why not incorporate a little olive drab into your travels? While many towns and cities might have a vehicle or two on public display, you might want to see a wide variety of vehicles. Here is a list of some of the top collections of historic military vehicles on public display available in the United States (in no particular order):

Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles

13906 Aden Rd,
Nokesville, VA 20181
marc@vmmv.org
www.vmmv.org
The VMMV was founded in 1989 by Allan Cors as an outgrowth of a lifelong interest in military history and years of collecting a wide variety of historic artifacts that relate to the subject. In 1982, the acquisition of a WW II jeep initiated the passion for military vehicles. Dodge command cars, weapons carriers, GMC and White trucks followed. The first tank was acquired in 1985 and the collection of operational military vehicles has grown dramatically since then.
The VMMV is located at the “tank farm”, a grass airstrip and several adjoining properties located in Prince William County in northern Virginia. Here the vehicles are restored and maintained for the collection.

U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum

2060A Airport Road,
Huntsville AL 35801
(256) 883-3737
info@memorialmuseum.org
www.memorialmuseum.org
Wednesday - Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day
Group tours are available by appointment.
The exhibits of memorabilia, artifacts, and military equipment range from the American Revolutionary War to present day. Included in the collection are many rare and important artifacts including the oldest surviving jeep: the Ford Pygmy. The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum houses more military history per square foot than any other museum in the country.

Museum of the American G.I.

19124 Highway 6 South
College Station, Texas 77845
http://americangimuseum.org/
info@americangimuseum.org
Friday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Noon - 5:00 p.m.
The Museum of the American G.I. is home to one of the finest collections in the US of restored, running WWI, WWII and later era military vehicles including a WWI FT-17 tank, WWII Sherman tanks, M18 Hellcats and various other tanks as well as historic uniforms and equipment used by the American Serviceman and women. What really makes this museum unique is its ability to exhibit the vehicles and weapons in action.

The Ropkey Armor Museum 

5649 E. 150 North
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
765-794-0238
info@ropkeyarmormuseum.com
http://ropkeyarmormuseum.com/
Open March-December, Monday-Wednesday, 11:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.
The Ropkey Armor Museum is owned by the Ropkey family and was incorporated in 1982 by Fred and his son Rick. Its mission is to preserve our military heritage for generations to come. Various vehicles of different types and ages are on display from Fred’s first, an M3A1 scout car, to several WWII era Shermans to a modern day M109 155mm self-propelled howitzer. Many of the vehicles have been restored to like new condition.

U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum

2220 Adams Avenue, Building 5218
Fort Lee, VA 23801-1601
804.734.4203
usarmy.lee.tradoc.mbx.leee-qmmuseumweb-org@mail.mil
www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil
Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years Day
Since 1957 the Quartermaster Museum has preserved the history and heritage of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, the Army’s oldest logistic branch. collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history of the Quartermaster Corps from its birth in 1775 to the present. In addition, many of the vehicles from the Ordnance Museum (formally located at Aberdeen, MD) are displayed around the Base.

U.S. Army Transportation Museum

300 Washington Blvd., Besson Hall
Fort Eustis, VA 23604
(757) 878-1115
www.transportation.army.mi
Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
The U.S. Army Transportation Museum artifact collection numbers just under 7,000 objects, plus another 1,000 exhibit props. The collection includes nearly 100 macro artifacts ranging from planes, helicopters, tugboats and landing craft to trucks, jeeps, hovercraft, and trains. The only preserved Vietnam gun truck, Eve of Destruction, can be seen here.

John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex

Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473
(573) 596-0780
www.wood.army.mil/ccmuseum
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Federal Holidays
The John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex is located within Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, South of I-44 between Saint Louis and Springfield. It is the home of the U.S. Army Chemical Museum, U.S. Army Engineer Museum, U.S. Army Military Police Museum, Fort Leonard Wood Museum, and Museum Vehicle Park.

The Collings Foundation

P.O. Box 248
Stow, MA 01775
(978) 562-9182 or (978) 568-8924
info@collingsfoundation.org
www.collingsfoundation.org
Daily: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
The purpose of the Collings Foundation is to organize and support “living history” events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation. The Foundation recently acquired the bulk of the Jacques Littlefield tank collection and has incorporated it into the programming.

National Museum of the Marine Corps

18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Triangle, VA 22172
877.635.1775
info@usmcmuseum.org
www.usmcmuseum.com
Daily: 9:00 a.m. - 5: 00 p.m. Closed Christmas Day.
Situated on more than 135 acres adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, the National Museum of the Marine Corps depicts great events of American history from the perspective of Marines who participated in them. The Museum encloses approximately 118,000 square feet, with an eventual expansion to nearly 181,000 square feet.

The National WWII Museum

945 Magazine Street,
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 528-1944
info@nationalww2museum.org
www.nationalww2museum.org
Daily, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans opened on June 6, 2000, as The National D-Day Museum. Founded by historian and author, Stephen Ambrose, the Museum tells the story of the American Experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today — so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. In 2003, Congress officially designated us as America’s National WWII Museum.

U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum

Corral Road,
Fort Sill, OK 73503
(580) 442-1819
http://sill-www.army.mil/famuseum/
Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Monday and Sunday
The U.S. Army Artillery Museum opened June 2, 2009, to tell the story of Artillery from 1775 to the present. More than 70 guns and artillery pieces and numerous other artifacts from head gear and ammo to small arms and uniforms are on display.
Also located at Fort Sill is the The U.S. Air Defense Museum and the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. The latter occupies 38 buildings covering 142 acres in the Historic Landmark area.

Thanks to Wendy and Jeff Rowsam and Denise and David Doyle for their input while we compiled our list.