Fort Riley to reopen U.S. Cavalry and 1st Infantry Division Museums

FORT RILEY, Kan. (WIBW) - Fort Riley plans to reopen the U.S. Cavalry and 1st Infantry Division Museums with a ribbon cutting.

Officials at Fort Riley announced the ribbon cutting will take place at 10:30 a.m. on June 13 at the museum complex located at 205 Henry Dr. on Fort Riley.

Fort Riley officials indicated the museums have been closed for renovations since January 2018, including structural improvements, updated lighting and technology, and provided museum staff the opportunity to redesign the display spaces.

According to Fort Riley officials, the building that houses the U.S. Cavalry Museum is one of the oldest structures on Fort Riley, which was built in 1855 to serve as the post hospital. It was renovated and a clock tower was added in 1890 when the building became the Cavalry School administration building. In 1957, it became Fort Riley Historical Museum. It was renamed to the U.S. Cavalry Museum in 1962.

Fort Riley officials said the Cavalry Museum highlights life on the Great Plains prior to the arrival of settlers, the role of Fort Riley and the cavalry, the life of the cavalry Soldier, and traces the history of the cavalry from the days of the horse soldier to the modern era of the air cavalry. It tells the story of the U.S. Cavalry from 1775 to present day.

Officials at Fort Riley, the 1st infantry Division Museum occupies a structure that was built as a barracks in 1905. The Building was later used for office space and as the post library. It reopened in 1992 as the 1st Infantry Division Museum and shares the story of the division from its beginning in 1917 through the division’s campaigns in World Wars I and II, the post-war occupation of Germany, the Vietnam Conflict, Desert Storm and the Global War on Terror.

The museums feature displays and technology that will allow visitors to fully experience the stories of the museums.

Following the ribbon cutting, the museums will be open to the public year-round from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The museum will be closed on Federal holidays.

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