Museum reopens on National Guard’s birthday

Celebrating the National Guard’s birthday was particularly special for Washington National Guard members this year, as the organization proudly re-opened the Washington National Guard Museum after a year-long renovation closure on the same day.

“The museum was closed for just over a year,” said Dr. Stephanie Carter, Washington National Guard Museum curator. “We underwent a six-month construction project, which included installing HVAC and air conditioning systems for the first time, along with UV filters on 216 panes of glass overlooking the main gallery. After construction was complete, we spent an additional six months resetting the museum.”

These upgrades will enable Dr. Carter and State Historian Dr. Jim Perrin to better preserve the museum’s collections by protecting them from harmful light exposure and temperature fluctuations. The building also received critical structural repairs, including filling foundational wall cracks and installing new windows.

“The construction was carried out with great care to preserve our historic building, which in turn helps safeguard the collections inside,” Carter explained.

Because the construction work involved the entire museum, including the basement, all display items had to be temporarily relocated.

“Given the nature of the project and the need to protect our exhibits, we had to move everything from the main gallery floor to alternate locations,” Carter noted. “During this process, we took the opportunity to make meaningful changes and upgrades to the exhibits themselves as part of the reset.”

On December 12, the museum officially reopened in celebration of the National Guard’s 388th birthday, welcoming guests for the first time in more than a year.

“We want this building to be a symbol for all Washington National Guard members, a place where they can learn about the organization’s history,” said Perrin. “We’re thrilled to have it open again. The renovations will make it easier for us to preserve and display our collections for years to come.”

Known as “The Arsenal,” Building Two on Camp Murray is the oldest structure on the base. Over its lifetime, it has served as a storage facility, armory and office space. Since the early 2000s, it has housed the museum, telling the story of the Washington National Guard to countless visitors.

The museum will now be open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on drill weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We look forward to welcoming Guard members and visitors alike to enjoy their museum,” Carter said.