New Landmark Emerges; Construction Begins on State-of-the-Art Military & Veterans Museum in Minnesota
2024年8月2日 - 1:10AM
Today the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum officially began
construction on a 40,000-square-foot facility at Camp Ripley, Minn.
This marks the start of active construction following a ceremonial
groundbreaking last September. The facility and surrounding grounds
are set for completion and grand opening in the summer of 2026.
Army Gen. Joseph Votel, a Minnesota native and the former
four-star commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S.
Central Command, explained the importance of this project for both
the state and nation. “It is in these stories that we learn, and
that we honor,” said Votel. “That is why this one-of-a-kind,
world-class Museum is so important. I know of no other state that
has committed both private and public funds to build an institution
of the kind envisioned here. And when I say ‘world-class,’ I don’t
just mean a gleaming building with well-appointed display cases. I
mean world-class stories of service, sacrifice, and love of
country, all told well.”
The State of Minnesota approved $32 million to design and
construct the new Museum. The Museum's board of directors is more
than halfway toward its private fundraising goal of $10 million,
which will be used to outfit the facility with gallery spaces,
classrooms, and collections. Situated on over 30 acres just off
Highway 371 and adjacent to the Little Falls State Veterans
Cemetery, the new Museum promises easy access by the public.
“This is a facility dedicated to veterans and we are excited to
continue mobilizing Minnesotans to build a world-class Museum with
a national reach,” said Randal Dietrich, Executive Director of the
Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum. “When complete, this
project will honor all branches of service, both past and
present.”
During the planning phase, the board and planners visited top
museums across the country, consulted with veterans from Minnesota
and beyond, and enlisted the renowned HGA Architects, out of
Minneapolis, to lead the design.
"The Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum is a legacy project
that I am honored to participate in,” said Sara Du, Project
Coordinator with HGA. “My favorite aspect of the project is the
visitor experience in Vessey Hall, named after Minnesotan General
John W. Vessey, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under
President Reagan. The building will be both a destination to
educate visitors and a tribute to honor Minnesotans who have served
our state and nation.”
Other design elements will include dark terrazzo flooring to
ground the visitor experience, complemented by vertical wood slats
on the walls to define the center hall. Banners and vertical
baffles will hang from the ceiling, and custom display cases will
elegantly exhibit artifacts and tell the stories of Minnesota
veterans. Vessey Hall will serve as the main artery of the
building, leading to various galleries and museum experiences.
Today’s milestone also coincides with the launch of the Museum’s
new Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/mnveteransmuseum/.
This page will document the visual journey of forging this
world-class Museum from the ground up.
Serving as a place of reverence, education, and celebration, the
Museum uniquely emphasizes "living history" through initiatives
such as the Post 9/11 Project and the recent 50th Anniversary of
the end of the Vietnam War here in Minnesota. This new facility
represents a significant step forward in preserving and honoring
Minnesota’s military history.
ABOUT THE MINNESOTA MILITARY & VETERANS
MUSEUM: National challenges resolved by military
institutions have shaped much of our collective state and national
experience. The documents, artifacts, images, and stories of how
Minnesotans, in uniform and at home, willingly served their state
and nation in war and peace help honor their memory. The Minnesota
Military & Veterans Museum inspires future generations through
the exceptional stories of Minnesota’s citizen soldiers. Visit
www.mnvetmuseum.org for more information.
Editor’s Note: A fly-through virtual tour can be viewed here.
For downloadable renderings and photos visit www.bit.ly/MMVMDesign.
Credit for the renderings is the Minnesota Military & Veterans
Museum; the photo of Gen. Votel should be credited to Adam
Bettcher.
MEDIA CONTACT:Anna Longanna@snowglobepr.com