JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
The United States Army Medical Department Museum, known as the AMEDD Museum, located at 3898 Stanley Road, building 1046 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, will be undergoing a major renovation starting on Jan. 19, 2024. This renovation will require the Museum to cease all public operations on that date and remain closed to the public until June 2025.
This renovation is a result of an Institute for Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, Save America’s Treasures Grant awarded to the AMEDD Museum Foundation Inc. The Foundation has raised funds to match the grant to provide the Museum with $960,000 for this work. The grant will be used to bring the museum galleries up to the highest standards of environmental stability for the preservation of the Army’s medical artifacts dating back to its founding in 1775.
These artifacts represent the rich history of Army medicine and the medical innovations that have benefited humanity around the world. The work will be completed in time for the 250th anniversary of the Army on June 14, 2025. Army Medicine will celebrate 250 years of service on July 27, 2025.
While the primary mission of the museum is to educate Army medical professionals at all levels of service, it also provides vital educational resources to students involved in all aspects of health and medicine education from elementary to post-graduate programs.
The museum hosts more than 40,000 visitors per year from around the world. The museum also provides consultations and research services in coordination with the Army Medical Center of History and Heritage.
Founded in 1922 at Carlisle Barracks Pennsylvania, the museum is one of the oldest in the Army and has been located in San Antonio since 1946. The current museum building was built by the AMEDD Museum Foundation with private donations in 1989 and has undergone expansion to its current facility in four additional phases ending in 2012.
The museum grounds cover seven acres at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and include both indoor and outdoor exhibits, a Medal of Honor Walk, and a 300-seat outdoor amphitheater. Since 1978, the Foundation has raised more than $10,000,000 to build and expand the museum. Today, the museum holds more than 14,000 artifacts relating to the history and heritage of Army Medicine.
The plan is to re-open the museum for the public in June 2025. During this time, we will not only be renovating our galleries, but we will also be receiving an M113 armored ambulance for an outdoor display to add to our extensive collection of both air and ground ambulances. Our 1953 rail car ambulance will be getting a full exterior restoration and our outdoor exhibits will be getting a general facelift.
Upon reopening, the museum will include many artifacts that have not been on display in the past decade, and newly acquired artifacts never before displayed. It is expected that the total artifacts on display will grow by as much as 30%.
To follow the progress of our renovations, follow us online @ArmyMedicineHistory and https://www.facebook.com/ArmyMedicineHistory/.