Arizona Military Museum

The Arizona Military Museum is an official activity of the Arizona National Guard operated by the Arizona National Guard Historical Society, Inc. The purpose of the society is to collect, preserve and display the military history of Arizona. The period of military history covers the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors to the present. The museum strives to be of service to scholars, students, past and present servicemen and women and to the general public.

The Arizona Military Museum has displays of uniforms, vehicles, artillery and miscellaneous mementos from military encounters. As you walk by these displays dating from the Spanish Conquistadors, the Civil War to the Indian and Spanish-American Wars, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and finally Operation Iraqi Freedom, the scope of Arizona's extensive military history takes shape.

The Arizona National Guard Historical Society's purposes are: "To enhance the appreciation of the military history of Arizona and the contributions of the Militia of Arizona and the Arizona National Guard to the State of Arizona and to the Nation"(Bylaws, Article I, Section 1). To accomplish its purposes, the Historical Society shall strive: "to discover and memorialize the history of the Military of Arizona, the Arizona National Guard, and the general military history of Arizona, and to establish and maintain a museum on land leased, owned, or otherwise controlled by the Society."(Id.). The policy statement states that the Historical Society is "to portray events, persons, and other historical information relating to the military service of Arizonans in wars and other military actions in Arizona and around the world".

Arizona National Guard Historical Society and Arizona Military Museum

The Articles of Incorporation for the Arizona National Guard Historical Society were executed on March 28, 1975. The Historical Society was incorporated on April 25, 1975 with the aforementioned purposes and the added purpose as stated in its policy statement "to portray events, persons, and other historical information relating to the military service of Arizonans in wars and other military actions in Arizona and around the world".

On July 14, 1978, the Arizona National Guard General Staff dedicated a portion of the old arsenal building for a museum for the Historical Society. In January 1980, officers and directors were elected who were committed to creating the museum. They did most of the demolition and construction to establish the museum. In December 1980, the Adjutant General designated the museum an official permanent historical activity of the Arizona National Guard. In April 1981, the General Staff dedicated the space for the East Room of the museum. On September 12, 1981, the Arizona Military Museum had its grand opening. On July 13, 1999, the Arizona National Guard Historical Society and the Arizona National Guard executed a Memorandum of Understanding reaffirming their historical relationship and mutual support.