To spotlight the historical impact of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for what will soon be the Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum on Thursday.
In May, the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation announced that the museum was going to become a reality and feature traditional artifacts such as weapons and uniforms, a detailed chronology wall of battles and interactive exhibits. The museum is set to be located outside of Fort Campbell’s gates near the intersection of Fort Campbell Boulevard and Tiny Town Road and will be accessible to the public.
Retired Major General and President of the foundation, Brian Winski, kicked off the ceremony by thanking those helping to bring the museum to life and talked about how construction will progress.
By next week, Winski told attendees that the site of the museum will be unrecognizable as construction efforts are underway. By winter, the exterior of the building will be standing and construction will continue through summer 2025 before artifacts and displays are installed.
By summertime next year, phase one of construction is set to be completed, and Winski says phase two of construction will include an atrium, which the foundation is working to raise funds for.
Major General Brett Sylvia, the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division, shared that the museum will include the history of the 101st, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the 5th Special Forces Group.
Sylvia described the groundbreaking as a call to action, to share and honor the history of those who have and continue to serve in the military.
The ribbon is set to be cut on phase one of construction in 2025. Along with the atrium, phase two A will include a gift shop and phase two B will include an Education Outreach Center with a large multipurpose event space, classrooms and additional offices. The last phase will include a memorial park with outdoor exhibits.
Once the construction phases are completed the museum and outdoor space will span over 60,000 square feet. More information about the museum can be found at fortcampbell.com.
