New museum to showcase ND’s military history

Posted 8/25/25 (Mon)

Planners and supporters of the Military Gallery being built in Bismarck taking part in a recent campaign event in Minot are, from left, Arnold Strebe, North Dakota National Guard Foundation; NDNG Lt. Col. (retired) Shirley Olgeirson, NDNG historian; Brekka Kramer, president/CEO, Minot Area Chamber EDC; Lt. Col. Derek Kuntz, director, Strategic Plans and Policy, N.D. National Guard; Bill Peterson, director, State Historical Society of N.D.; U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Suden, commander, 91st Operations Group, Minot Air Force Base; U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas Taylor, deputy commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB; Dale Lennon, executive director, SHSND Foundation; Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, president, NDNG Foundation and NDNG deputy adjutant general; and Michelle Brislin, Military Gallery Capital Campaign consultant, PACE Fundraising.

Minot Daily News - August 25, 2025 

North Dakota is one of the most patriotic states in the nation but one of the few states that does not have a military museum. That is changing. On Thursday, July 10, veterans, state agency leaders and tribal officials broke ground for the Military Gallery of the North Dakota State Museum in Bismarck.

On Monday, Aug. 11, a N.D. Military Gallery Campaign Event, hosted by the Minot Area Chamber EDC with members of the Military Gallery Executive Committee, was held in Minot to celebrate the vision and progress of the project.

“This gallery is for you,” Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, president of the North Dakota National Guard Foundation and NDNG adjutant general, told guests, including many veterans, attending the N.D. Military Gallery Campaign Event. “It’s a tribute to your courage, your sacrifice and your unwavering support to defending our state and our nation. To your families, your supporters, this will become a place of honor for your particular service.”

The $78 million museum project is a collaboration with the N.D. National Guard Foundation and State Historical Society of North Dakota. The 20,000-square-foot Military Gallery will be part of a 67,000-square-foot addition on the south side of the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum on the Capitol grounds in Bismarck.

The SHSND, NDNG and their respective foundations announced Thursday, Aug. 7, in a news release, construction has started on the expansion for the Military Gallery, amphitheater and infrastructure enhancements. Tree removal and rerouting utilities has been occurring, according to NDNG information.

“This project would not be possible without the unwavering support of Governor (Kelly) Armstrong and our State Legislature, who recognized the importance of this endeavor just this past session and championed for it through the passage of House Bill 1018. I want to thank you for investing in our history and in our future as well, and we are deeply grateful for the partnership that we have with the State Historical Society, State Historical Society Foundation as well as the National Guard and our National Guard Foundation,” Huber said.

Huber said the $78 million project is basically a 50/50 public-private split.

“We are grateful to the state and what they have contributed,” Huber said. She said PACE Fundraising has been very busy this summer, along with other constituents, raising the private donations.

Dr. Bill Peterson, director of the State Historical Society of N.D., told the group he has been deeply involved in North Dakota history for five years and learned about what veterans have been through as veterans, where they’ve been and the things that they’ve done.

“The stories I have heard will keep you up at night and make you incredibly proud to know these people,” he said.

He said North Dakota is a remarkable place and the state does three things incredibly well: “We power the world (energy), we feed the world (agriculture) and we defend the world (defense).”

He said installations like Minot and Grand Forks Air Force bases have essential functions as part of the U.S. defenses, but they also play important and crucial roles in the communities.

“The gallery is going to allow North Dakotans to explore the grand history of the Air Force in North Dakota and its continuing impact on the world we know today,” he said, noting Minot AFB has a long history in the state.

Seventy years ago in July, ground was broken for Minot AFB.

“Minot Air Force Base is both an integral part of the state’s history and economy and a critical component of the national defense of nuclear deterrence. The same is true for Grand Forks and the U.S. ecosystem that we built here, and then, of course, we have the Air Guard installations. Ultimately, this gallery will be a fascinating look at North Dakotans in the military, the military in North Dakota and the impact of this combination around the world,” Peterson said.

He said North Dakota military people are or have been all over the world, noting a Minot native, the late Maj. Gen. Neil Van Sickle, who, he said, has had a deep impact on the history of the U.S. Air Force. Peterson, who got to know Van Sickle and his wife in Kalispell, Montana, said Van Sickle wrote “Van Sickle’s Modern Airmanship.” A classic book, it has been used by pilots to improve their flying skills for more than 30 years.

“This gallery will allow us to not only talk about those kinds of people but the influence the military’s had here, going back to Lewis and Clark,” Peterson said. He said explorers Lewis and Clark spent more time here than in any other state.

“So we have a much bigger story to tell. It’s an inspiring story and I’m honored to be able to be a part of the team that’s going to bring it to fruition,” Peterson said.

Col. Thomas Taylor, deputy commander of the 5th Bomb wing at Minot AFB, said, “We’re super excited to see this museum open. It’s just going to be another testament of that relationship between the community and Minot Air Force Base.”

Reiterating a statement by Peterson, he said, “There’s such a rich history of military engagement across the state here, especially from the strategic perspective with two legs of the nuclear triad here – missiles and bombers. A lot of history goes way back and to be able to showcase that in one location and just have a great place for our airmen and families to go and be able to see some of that history and then even see the history that predates what they might know.” He said the Military Gallery will be a great way to connect the past, the present and the future.

Col. Michael Suden, commander of the 91st Missile Wing’s 91st Operations Operations Group, said, “The 91st Missile Wing is to watch, ensuring global stability throughout our strategic deterrence mission. This gallery will tell a story of vigilance, dedication and unwavering commitment.”

The Military Gallery is scheduled to be completed in 2027.