Groups visiting Minnesota now have an expanded opportunity to discover a vital chapter of the state’s history and the stories of the people who shaped it. The Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum reopened this past weekend in a brand-new 40,000-square-foot facility just outside the Camp Ripley National Guard station near Little Falls, roughly a two-hour drive from the Twin Cities. The new building replaces the museum’s previous on-base home, which dated to the 1930s, and is the culmination of years of effort and private and public funding—notably including a $32 million donation from the state. While the old property covered just about 2 acres, the new museum will encompass more than 30.
“I know of no other state [that] has committed both private and public funds to build an institution of the kind envisioned here,” said Gen. Joseph Vogel at the time of the museum’s ceremonial groundbreaking in 2023. “And when I say ‘world-class,’ I don’t just mean a gleaming building with well-appointed display cases. I mean world-class stories of service, sacrifice, and love of country, all told well.”
In addition to the fascinating stories, visitors will find an array of significant historical artifacts. Among the highlights is gun No. 3 from the deck of the USS Ward, which sank a Japanese submarine near Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, effectively firing the first shots of American involvment in World War II just hours before the attack on the base. Also on the grounds are the sail and rudder from the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul, a nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class submarine in service from 1984-2008. The sail—in naval parlance, the portion of a submarine that stands prominently out of the water when at the surface—is positioned outside within an outline of the ship’s full length.
From now through April, the museum is open Thursday-Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April to September, the museum is open daily with the same hours. Groups of nine or more can make reservations in advance for their visit.
For more information, visit mnvetmuseum.org.
Main Image: Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum, Little Falls, Minnesota; Credit: Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum
