Thirty years ago the hard work and dedication of the Fort McClellan women NCO’s and Officers culminated in the Women’s Army Corps Museum ground breaking ceremony.  There have been many changes in those 30 years, but one thing has stayed the same: the desire to document, preserve, and tell the story of Army women’s service to their country.

The growth of our history now requires growth in our Army Women’s Museum.  The Army Women’s Foundation has taken the first step in expanding the capabilities of our Ft. Lee museum by contracting with Bowie-Gridley Architects.  We are very fortunate to work with such an esteemed architectural firm.  www.bowie-gridley.com The Bowie-Gridley design team visited our Museum at Fort Lee and met with Judy Matteson, Museum Director.  Judy presented the team with her desires for the Museum expansion, and her project requirements and priorities. 

Judy’s priorities include expanded exhibit space, a theatre for 100 people, and an expanded lobby entrance area that can be a multi-purpose area.  There are also “back of the house” needs to support Museum operations.  Bowie-Gridley will evaluate and make recommendations on how to integrate our current building and exhibits into the expansion. 

The Bowie-Gridley feasibility study will tell us how we can best expand our Museum both in size and quality exhibit areas.  Their study is scheduled to be completed mid-November 2006.  Based upon those findings, the Museum Director, with the Foundation’s support, will decide how to proceed. 

As a result of Base Realignment and Closure decisions, the Ordnance Corps and part of the Transportation Corps Museums are moving to Ft. Lee.  An addition to the Quartermaster Museum is expected to get underway in the near future.  This will have a positive effect on the number of visitors to our Women’s Museum as we will be part of the planned museum complex.   Hopefully, access to the museum complex can be part of the construction process and make it easier for people to process through post security.

The Forward March Campaign was established with a goal of $3,000,000 to support this action.  We will refine that goal based upon the feasibility study findings, and be more specific about the construction and exhibit costs.