Step into the National Museum of the United States Army and embark on a journey through the 250-year history of American soldiers, from the colonial era to modern-day deployments. The exhibits not only celebrate the Army’s triumphs and contributions to society but also confront the harsh realities of warfare. Through compelling stories of individual soldiers and immersive environments, visitors are transported to pivotal moments in Army history, including the battle of Gettysburg, the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the Normandy landings, and the fall of Baghdad.
PROJECT DETAILS
Project: National Museum of the United States Army
Designer: Christopher Chadbourne & Associates, Eisterhold and Associates
Client: Design & Production, Inc.
Size: 45,000 square feet (4,181 m²) of exhibit space
Photography: Scott Metzler, Steven Rosen, Available Light
Scope of Work: Working alongside renowned museum pioneers, Design and Production, ThemeWorks crafted scale models, immersive environments, and scenic wall treatments, breathing life into the museum’s narratives.
Among the scale models crafted for the museum is a panoramic depiction of Colonel Henry Knox’s astonishing feat of grit and determination during the Revolutionary War, where he and his militia transported heavy cannon across hundreds of miles of treacherous frozen terrain to end the siege of Boston. ThemeWorks used a combination of modern technology and traditional artistry to meticulously create hundreds of unique miniatures and give visitors an impression of the scale of the epic scale of Knox’s undertaking.
In the World War I Gallery, ThemeWorks created immersive environments that thrust visitors into the trenches of the Western Front and take them across the deadly wastes of “No Man’s Land”. ThemeWorks used sculpted concrete, period appropriate sandbags, artificial plants, and spent ammunition casings to recreate the war torn battlefields of France.
One of the highlights of the World War II gallery is a tableau displaying the “Cobra King”, a legendary Sherman Tank famous for being the first to break through into the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. The tank is displayed in its battle battle-worn state, encrusted in artificial ice, snow, and mud. When applying scenic treatments to historic vehicles like the Cobra King, ThemeWorks uses carefully selected processes and materials to ensure that the treatments are fully reversable thereby ensuring that the integrity of the artifact is preserved.
For the museum’s Cold War Gallery, ThemeWorks created a highly detailed three-dimensional physical relief map of the Vietnam war. ThemeWorks researched and precisely mapped the location of key settlements, landmarks, and combat zones that had been identified by the museum’s historians. ThemeWorks then utilized GIS and 3D modeling software to combine this map with terrain data to create a three-dimensional look at the conflict that few, if any, had seen before. By presenting the history in context with the terrain, the map gives visitors a deeper appreciation of the importance of supply routes like the Ho Chi Minh Trail and strategic choke points like the A Shau Valley and Khe Sanh that were fought over so bitterly. The map has become a focal point for veterans who often reference it while sharing the details of their service.
The National Museum of the United States Army opened its doors to the public in 2020 and has since been hailed as one of the Nation’s premier military museums.