California State Military Museum to Reopen
It has been some time since we updated our constituency on the progress of the State Military History and Museums Program over the past few years.
For several years since the old museum in Old Sacramento was closed, we have been taking several steps to reestablish a professional and sustainable statewide program to, as our motto says, collect, protect, and interpret military history as it relates to California and its people.
Some of these steps are:
Past major multiyear exhibitions at the California State Capitol and California State Library.
The institution of a web-based collection management system that can be accessed on the internet from most platforms (i.e., computers, tablets, and smartphones.)
The first ever wall-to-wall, border-to-border inventory of artifacts at all California Military Department facilities and organizations. This process is expected to take several years.
Establishment of the 40th Infantry Division at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos.
Establishment of a new Museum Support Facility, which includes a Vehicle Conservation Center at Camp San Luis Obispo.
Establishment of several local โregimental roomsโ at combat arms battalions in Southern California.
Transforming our supporting California State Guard Military Museum Command into a more professional organization.
Establishment of mutually beneficial relationships with several local museums, historical societies, and governmental agencies such as California State Parks and the California State Archives.
Providing professional training from the California State Archives, the American Association of State and Local History, and several state and regional museum associations that offer free online training.
Restoration of the programโs $100,000 state appropriation.
But the most important development is the re-establishment of a museum in the Sacramento metropolitan area. The new Consolidated Headquarters Complex (CHQC) in Rancho Cordova was designed to include a museum component. The department purchased and installed museum-grade display cases and 600 feet of museum art rail display systems.
In addition to hundreds of artifacts transferred from the old state headquarters, we will be installing the following macro-artifacts at the CHQC:
McDonnell Aircraft F-4C โPhantom IIโ Fighter.
M-60A3 TTS โPattonโ Main Battle Tank.
Boeing CH-47D โChinookโ Helicopter.
M-110A2 8-Inch Self-Propelled Howitzer.
M-101A1 105mm Towed Howitzer.
MIM-14 โNike-Herculesโ Air Defense Missile
Two M-1861 3-inch Ordnance Rifles modified to pedestal mounted, breech-loading salute guns.
1943 Ford GPW โJeepโ with ยผ-Ton Trailer. This will be placed on in the lobby of the headquarters building.
We intend to begin having visitors view the museum by Memorial Day 2024.
Placing a museum activity within an operational headquarters was successfully tested at the 40th Infantry Division Museum in Los Alamitos. That museum is open for guided tours at specific dates and times.
You can follow our progress on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CaStateMilitaryMuseums/
Upgrading Exhibits at the Headquarters, 40th Infantry Division, Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos
We continue to improve the museum located in the headquarters of the 40th Infantry Division at JFTB Los Alamitos. Two Eagle Scout candidates have repainted our M113A2 Armored Personnel Carrier and our M109A2 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer.
How can we help?
While we do receive an appropriation for operations, there are some expenses that we cannot use those funds for. This includes purchasing restoration parts and services that cannot be acquired through state procurement and institutional membership in museum associations, allowing on-site and online training.
Since 1 July 2023, the California Military Department Support Fund has served as the manager of monetary donations for the program.
If you would like to support our program, you can send a check to the following:
California Military Department Support Fund
10601 Bear Hollow Drive, Box 42
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Make sure you notate โMuseumโ on the memo line of the check. You can also target your support to a specific program similarly.
Historic military vehicle and aircraft conservation program.
Historic film and photograph digitization program.
New technologies program.
Historic document digitization program.
Battle flag conservation program.
Unfortunately, we cannot currently accept online donations. But we’re working on that.
If you have any questions about getting involved or the direction of the California Military Museum Program, please email our Director, Chief Curator Sgt Maj Dan Sebby.
