What sprouted as an idea around 30 years ago has now become a reality, as Fort Campbell personnel hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum on Friday.
A groundbreaking ceremony in June 2024 signified the beginning of the museum’s construction, and before the ribbon was cut, those who played a key role in bringing the museum to life discussed how it all came to be and talked about some of the displays.
The museum features displays highlighting the impacts of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division in wars and conflicts. Retired Major General and President of the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, Brian Winski, says the museum also spotlights the impacts of the 5th Special Forces Group and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, who also call Fort Campbell home.
The museum is designed as a timeline starting with World War II and highlighting Fort Campbell soldiers’ involvement in the invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day. Along with the Second World War, there are major displays focusing on the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the War on Terrorism and the desegregation of public schools in Arkansas.
Around the major displays are artifacts, such as the uniforms and weapons of Fort Campbell soldiers and those of the opposing forces. A timeline wall with partitions stretches down the museum, providing information about these wars and conflicts, and also spotlighting occurrences at Fort Campbell and what was happening in the news from 1939 to 2025. At the end of the timeline, there are some blank walls, leaving space for it to continue.
Museum guests can also go through the MH 47 Experience where they enter a helicopter and go through a flight simulation.
Chief Historian Dr. Jim Malachowski from the Center of Military History says the new museum stands on the shoulders of Fort Campbell’s Don F. Pratt Museum, which opened in 1956 and closed in November 2024. He describes the opening of the museum as the passing of the torch.
Major General David Gardner, the Commander General of the 101st Airborne Division, called the museum one of a kind and says it is the only Army museum to combine the history of three units.
Gardner also shared that the museum’s original blueprint was expanded by 7,000 square feet to include exhibits showcasing the accomplishments of Fort Campbell’s modern military. Winski says the opening of the museum is only phase one of their plans. Over the next four to five years, he says they have plans to install outdoor exhibits and make other improvements.
Around 450 people attended Friday’s ribbon-cutting. The museum is located at 400 Wings of Liberty Way, which is right across from the Fort Campbell Boulevard and Tiny Town Road intersection. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is free to enter.
