North Dakota Military Gallery

 

The Foundation is excited to share an update about the future North Dakota Military Gallery. Our team is proud to partner with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, the North Dakota National Guard, and the North Dakota National Guard Foundation to coordinate private fundraising efforts, led by PACE Fundraising, for the construction project. The North Dakota Military Gallery aims to aims to honor, educate, and inspire by revealing the contributions and sacrifices of our military. The upcoming 67,000-square-foot expansion project at the Heritage Center & State Museum will have several components and change the layout of the existing building.

The North Dakota Military Gallery will be a 20,000-square-foot, multi-level facility at the southeastern part of the current building. The gallery will have several Content Zones, which organize artifacts and exhibits based on a thematic concept, to educate visitors about the military contributions of North Dakotans across time and place.

The expansion project also contains plans for a Regimental Room & Event Center, a destination restaurant, and an outdoor amphitheater. The North Dakota National Guard Regimental Room & Event Center will have a capacity of 400 persons and will be an excellent location to host company functions, professional conferences, or personal receptions. Visitors can enjoy a variety of locally sourced and themed menu items at the two-level destination restaurant for lunch and dinner. The outdoor amphitheater will be a partially enclosed greenspace at the center of the newly expanded North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum and will contain dedicated spaces for live performances and film screenings, patio seating for the destination restaurant, a walking path, and gardens.

In addition to the four elements detailed above, the expansion project includes plans for the Foundation to relocate within the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum and additional storage spaces for museum collections. The Foundation offices will move from our current location in the lower level of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum near the El Coqui Café to a new space on the main level. We will have a reception area, a conference room, several private offices, and a workspace for volunteers. We encourage everyone to drop in for a visit at our new offices after construction to meet our team and learn more about our work with the State Historical Society!

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction

When did construction start?

Construction on the North Dakota Military Gallery project began on Sunday, August 10, 2025. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was on Thursday, July 10, at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck. The evening's program included live musical performances from the 188th Army Band and the Thunder Butte Singers, as well as remarks from several dignitaries. Governor Kelly Armstrong, State Historical Society Director Bill Peterson, Zerr Berg Architects Principal Architect Brian Berg, North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission Executive Director Brad Hawk, MHA Tribal Councilwoman Dr. Monica Mayer, and North Dakota National Guard Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Mitchell Johnson all delivered speeches during the ceremony.

What company is constructing the expansion?

Kraus-Anderson Construction is overseeing the North Dakota Military Gallery project. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Kraus-Anderson Construction also has a Bismarck office. Their local projects include the University of Mary Lumen Vitae Center, Bismarck Surgical Associates Ambulatory Surgical Center, Bismarck Public Works, and Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health Building.

What is the name of the architectural firm overseeing the project?

Zerr Berg Architects of Fargo is overseeing the North Dakota Military Gallery project. Lead architect Brian Berg served in the North Dakota Army National Guard for 20 years and continues to support their missions and service.

What materials will be used?

Building materials for the North Dakota Military Gallery project will match the materials used in the existing North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum and the State Capitol. Main elements include Indiana Limestone, terrazzo flooring, glass, and copper.

When will the expansion open?

The architectural plans and construction schedule indicate that the North Dakota Military Gallery will open in Fall 2027.

How big will the expansion be?

The 67,000-square-foot expansion project at the Heritage Center & State Museum will have four main components:

• North Dakota Military Gallery
• North Dakota National Guard Regimental Room & Event Center
• destination restaurant
• outdoor amphitheater

Will the building be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified?

LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and provides a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum prioritized sustainability during its most recent expansion and currently satisfies LEED silver standards. The North Dakota Military Gallery project similarly incorporates sustainable practices, and its design includes consideration for future expansion opportunities.

 

Budget

What is the budget for this project?

The North Dakota Military Gallery project has a budget of $78 million, comprised of:

• $15 million from the state Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund

• $20 million line of credit from the Bank of North Dakota

• $4.2 million to repay a prior Bank of North Dakota line of credit

• $38 to $40 million private fundraising led by the PACE Fundraising

What is the North Dakota National Guard’s role in this project?

The North Dakota National Guard Foundation is partnering with PACE Fundraising and the Foundation to raise private funds and oversee the capital campaign for the North Dakota Military Gallery project. The State Historical Society of North Dakota and the North Dakota Adjutant General entered a memorandum of agreement to establish policies on public displays, signage, and museum content for the North Dakota Military Gallery.

Has all the money been raised for this project?

The North Dakota State Legislature has generously granted funding for the North Dakota Military Gallery, and private fundraising is ongoing. You can visit the North Dakota National Guard website below to make a donation.

 

 

Inside the Gallery

What will be inside the North Dakota Military Gallery? Are military items currently on exhibit in the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum moving to the new gallery?

The North Dakota Military Gallery will cover the region’s full military history, beginning with the Native American military practices long before European contact. The gallery then follows military service through the territorial era and statehood into the modern age. Artifacts and exhibits will reflect the diverse military traditions that continue to shape the state. In addition to advanced technology and sophisticated exhibit design, the North Dakota Military Gallery will feature interactive opportunities for visitors to engage with content and personalize their experiences.

The new gallery will also have several macro-artifacts, like an LGM-30 Minuteman missile and a Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopter, integrated with existing military collections currently owned by the State Historical Society. Some artifacts and items currently on display in different galleries within the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum will move to the new gallery after the project’s completion.

What branches of the U.S. military will be covered?

The North Dakota Military Gallery will have artifacts and exhibits representing every branch of the U.S. Armed: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, as well as their respective reserves, and North Dakota Army National Guard and North Dakota Air National Guard.

Will there be an admission fee for the North Dakota Military Gallery?

No, there will not be an admission fee for the North Dakota Military Gallery. Admission to the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum is always free, and includes entrance to all of the galleries in the building.

 

Objects and Landscaping

Why were trees removed from the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum grounds? Will any trees be transplanted?

Construction crews cleared existing landscaping for the gallery expansion and outdoor amphitheater. Many of the removed trees were aging aspens and diseased American elms. Transplanting any remaining mature, healthy trees was not feasible due to their size. Replacement after construction will be at a ratio of 3 new trees for each 1 tree removed.

What tree species will be planted after construction?

Several types of disease-resistant trees will be planted after construction, including:

Were any removed trees part of the Centennial Grove or donations?

No, the Centennial Grove and its donations were not affected by the recent tree removal efforts. The Centennial Grove is north of the Governor’s Residence and should not be affected by this expansion project.

What will happen to the cannonball concretions in front of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum?

The cannonball concretions are part of the North Dakota Geological Survey Paleontology collection and will not be in the new landscape plan.

What are the plans for the French Gratitude Train?

The French Gratitude Train will have a new home west of its current location, adjacent to the All-Veterans Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds, and its current canopy structure will be reused.

What will happen to the bow plate of the USS North Dakota?

The new location of the USS North Dakota bow plate is yet to be determined.

What happened to the large boulder on the amphitheater space?

The large boulder in the previous amphitheater will be relocated within the new landscape after construction.

 

Parking and Trail System

Will there be more parking after the project is completed?

Parking for the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum will remain in its current configuration after construction.

Where can I park during construction?

Visitors can park in the North Dakota Heritage Center parking lot, on the loop around the Capitol Mall, and in the Capitol visitor parking lot, all of which will remain open to the public throughout construction. You can view a detailed map of the construction closures at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum here.

How does this project affect the Capitol trail system?

The southeast trail segment is closed, but the Capitol Mall and west arboretum trail remain open.

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Stay Updated

Where can I find more information?

You can find additional information and regular updates about the North Dakota Military Gallery project on the State Historical Society of North Dakota website. You can also view a live feed of the construction site below.