Fort Riley Museums getting face-lift
Dr. Robert J. Smith
The year 2017 has been an amazing year for both the U.S. Cavalry and the 1st Infantry Division Museums. Besides continuing to be the most visited location on post by the general public, we continue to commemorate the centennial of the 1st Infantry Division and its formation for service in World War I.
Our capstone to this has been our temporary exhibit, "Duty First: 100 Years of the Big Red One," conducted in partnership with the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas. As we have participated in both local and national commemorations of World War I, we have been immensely honored by the amount of support we have received from the division, the garrison, units and our community partners.
As we enter 2018, we would like to announce to all of our friends the U.S. Army Center of Military History has approved funding for complete remodels of our three primary buildings. These remodels will allow us to bring our exhibits to modern standards of lighting and technology, while increasing our ability to conserve energy, our historical artifacts and preserving these historic structures. The 1st Infantry Division Museum will also be updated to tell the notable history of the division including the recent accomplishments of the Big Red One over the last 10 years.
Our archives will also be co-located with the main museum complex, allowing them to be more easily accessed by both military and public researchers.
This is truly an exciting time for us and it would not be possible without the support of so many people.
Due to the extensive nature of the renovations, work is expected to take approximately two years. In order to prepare artifacts and our administrative offices for relocation, the Fort Riley museums will be closed beginning Jan. 15.
The Museum Gift Shop will remain open for the immediate future. The Fort Riley garrison has identified a temporary exhibit building to allow us to maintain a presence on post during the remodel and once this new location is established we will announce further information. We will continue to provide updates through press releases and on social media.
Once again, we wish to thank everyone for the support. We look forward to a new era for the museums!
On Behalf of the Fort Riley Museum Staff and Volunteers,
Dr. Robert J. Smith
Supervisory Curator
Fort Riley Museum Complex
