On the road between Montgomery, AL, and Atlanta, GA I diverted slightly to the south on I-285 to Fort Benning, GA to visit the National Infantry Museum, a 30,000-square-foot former Army hospital converted to a combination vistor center and exhibit area. Admission is free with free parking. Abundant signs point the way into and through the base to reach the museum.

Hours are 8am-4:30pm weekdays and 12:30pm-4:30pm weekends. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, and Federal Holidays on Mondays.

Spanning four floors and including outdoor vehicle parks, the museum covers the infantrymen from the time of Jamestown in 1607 to the Desert War era. Fort Benning is named after Confederate Henry Benning. The hospital was built in 1925, but shut down in 1975, when the medical functions were transferred to a new building complex. The museum (originally established in 1959) was then transferred to the former hospital building. It is stocked, make that jam-packed, with uniforms, weapons, medals, and other equipment, which complements the tank, APC, artillery, and vehicles on the outside.

A 100-seat auditorium plays a variety of films. When I poked my head in, it was a show you'd see on the History Channel, Discovery, A&E, or other cable channel. I didn't sit for more than a moment--there was a museum to explore!

About 100,000 visitors a year tour the museum. I arrived on a weekday in the morning, and foot traffic was light, so I had plenty of time and space to see every nook and cranny. The museum's exhibit halls and rooms are roughly in chronological order.

Note

Due to the photos, loading time will be slow. We've made them as compressed as possible without sacrificing clarity. Also, please note that the interior of the museum is very dimly lit to protect fragile clothing, photos were taken without flash, and aisles are relatively narrow, limited camera angles. You will also see reflections in the old-style glass. With these caveats, we still anticipate you'll enjoy the photo gallery and virtual tour of the museum. We visited the museum in February 2001, so displays may be different when you visit. Certainly, the museum holds many more items than we describe, but this is enough to get you started.

More Fort Benning

Introduction
Outside: Tank and APC Park
Outside: Vehicle and Artillery Park
The Early Years: Jamestown to Mexican American War
The American Civil War: Yanks and Rebs
Spanish-American War to World War I
World War II to Vietnam
Special: US World War II 2.36-inch bazooka kit

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