Quartermaster Museum Report

Remodeling and refurbishing continue to be the main activities of Museum staff made necessary by both the need to keep exhibits and facilities current as well as the need to prepare for our Accreditation inspection scheduled for this fall.

The addition contains heating and air conditioning, a handicapped ramp, and a storage room. The entryway provides a more aesthetic appearance to the museum when viewed from the Army Women’s Museum and the future Ordnance Museum .

The new rear entryway addition is nearing completion; all that remains is to install exterior lighting, complete some minor unfinished work, and landscape. In the last few months, appropriated funds were obtained allowing the remodeling to continue into the interior of the building. Work plans call for finishing walls, carpeting, and creation of a reception/office immediately to the right of the entryway in the area currently being used as a supply room. When completed, the result will be an aesthetically pleasing public entrance, accommodating visitors from both the Army Women’s Museum and the future Ordnance Museum .

Work also continues on upgrading exhibit labels. The History & Heritage, McNamara Supply, Supporting Victory, and portions of the Past Missions and Clothing & Textile Galleries have been updated with better labels and labeling techniques. It is the intent to complete all galleries by the fall. The introductory timeline will also be replaced with an improved version to complement the other new graphics that have been installed in the gallery entrance. The addition of a Red Ball Express exhibit panel in the transportation section of the Past Missions Gallery was installed in order to expand the Transportation Corps story and to reinforce the historical link between the two branches.

Despite this year’s focus on Accreditation, Museum staff has continued to provide assistance to outside agencies and organization for exhibit and other professional support. Over 65 hours of exhibit assistance has been provided to such organizations as the Army Center of Excellence, the 23^rd Quartermaster Brigade, the Army Quartermaster Foundation, particularly as part of the Quartermaster Symposium, and the Defense Supply Center Richmond. Almost 90 hours of professional support has been provided to the U.S. Army Center of Military History and the American Association of Museums by Staff in such areas as BRAC planning relative to the relocation of the Ordnance Museum to Fort Lee, analyzing BRAC implications on the entire Army Museum System, and conducting Accreditation inspections on behalf of the American Association of Museums. The Staff remains committed to accepting requests for professional and exhibit support as time permits.

In May Mr. Ryan Underhill, under contract funded by the Littlejohn Fund, began work on a project to organize and exhibit the Museum’s cloth insignia collection. Similar in concept to the Distinguished Unit Insignia, the cloth insignia (primarily rank and shoulder sleeve insignia) will be contained in pull-out drawers for visitor viewing and will be eventually located within the Past Missions Gallery. When completed, the exhibit will enable the always popular “shoulder patches”, one of the most complete in public domain, to be viewed by visitors in an interesting and educational manner. The work is expected to be completed sometime this fall and it is hoped that Mr. Underhill will be available for future such projects.