More than 150 Fort Campbell and Tennessee officials will break ground 10 AM Thursday on the highly-anticipated Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum — a facility that will showcase the storied history of the 101st Airborne Division.
In a written statement, Fort Campbell Historical Foundation President/CEO and retired Major General Brian Winski noted the last 50 years of the unit have been beyond active — ranging from the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, a deployment to Afghanistan and more — and there’s so much to tell.
It will be the second largest facility in the nation’s Army museum enterprise, and the largest military museum between Chicago and New Orleans. It will focus on the historical impact of Fort Campbell soldiers, while providing a unique opportunity for visitors to experience and learn U.S. history through the eyes of the Screaming Eagles.
Dr. John O’Brien, museum director, said it will house a “large concentration” of Army equipment and displays related to vertical development, but that it will also represent more than just “a collection of artifacts.”
Located on 33 acres near the intersection of Tiny Town Road and 41A in northern Clarksville, it will technically be located on the installation, but in front of the gates — making it far more accessible, and without the need for public security clearances required at the current museum.
Admission will be free, and there is expectation for it to be particularly popular with bus tours, military reunions and as an educational resource for visitors of all ages.
Costing $40 million, it will be unveiled in phases. The first operation is expected to be complete and open to the public in late 2025, and will include offices, a welcoming entrance and a 41,000-square-foot exhibit hall with traditional artifacts such as weapons and uniforms, a detailed chronology wall of battles, and updated and interactive exhibits — which will feature a prominent display of a Chinook Helicopter from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Phase 1 is fully funded, but additional support is being sought to complete the subsequent phases.
Phase 2A, which includes an atrium and gift shop, requires an estimated $6 million, and must be raised by the end of June to avoid increased construction costs.
Phase 2B, an estimated $15 million, will add an Education Outreach Center with a large multipurpose event space, classrooms and additional offices.
Future plans also include Phase 3, which will feature a Memorial Park with outdoor exhibits.
Once all phases are complete, the space will span more than 60,000 square feet — more than four times the size of the current museum.
For more information, visit: THE TENNESSEE WINGS OF LIBERTY MUSEUM – Fort Campbell Historical Foundation
