CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After nearly three decades of planning and development, the Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum officially opened Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located near Fort Campbell, the new 51,000-square-foot museum was built through a partnership between the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, the U.S. Army Center of Military History, state and local leaders, private donors and community supporters. The project represents more than $37 million in investment and was completed after 24 months of construction.

The museum features 79 exhibit spaces across a 33-acre campus and highlights the history of the 101st Airborne Division, 5th Special Forces Group and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

During opening remarks, speakers described the museum as both a tribute to military service and a place designed to educate future generations. Chaplain Paul Weaver delivered the invocation, calling the museum “an enduring testament to the courage, sacrifice, and the unbreakable spirit of the Screaming Eagles and all the units that call Fort Campbell home.”

The museum preserves artifacts and stories spanning more than 80 years of military history. Among the featured exhibits are a combat-tested MH-47 helicopter, artifacts from World War II, and displays connected to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam and Korea.

Major General Brian Winski, retired president and CEO of the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, reflected on the years of work leading to the opening. “It’s been a long time coming, but here we are ladies and gentlemen,” Winski said. “Ready to share with the soldiers and families of Fort Campbell, ready to share with our veterans, ready to share with our community and the broader region and well beyond, an awesome world-class, modern, tech-enhanced, easily accessible museum that will inspire all who visit.”

Military personnel and officials cut a red ribbon at a ceremony, with numerous national and military flags behind them inside a glass-walled venue.
Center: smiling military officer in dress uniform surrounded by applauding officials at a flag ceremony with colorful banners behind him.
Army officer delivering a speech at a podium with a microphone, flags in the background.
Vintage U.S. Army staff car on a display platform in a museum, gray with chrome detailing and markings on the door.
Two men in suits shake hands at a ceremonial event with flags and a red ribbon in the foreground.
Middle-aged man in a dark suit speaks at a podium with a microphone, blue shirt and patterned tie, with multiple flags in the background.
Crowd seated in rows at a formal ceremony, many people clapping.
People in suits seated in a row, reading event programs or brochures at a formal gathering.
Man in a suit giving a speech at a podium with a microphone, flags lined up behind him in a bright room.
Group of adults standing with heads bowed in a bright room during a ceremony.
Audience seated in a hangar-style venue with a vintage airplane hanging from the ceiling and colorful flags lining the windows, during a ceremony or presentation.
Military officer in dress uniform speaks at podium during formal event, with flags displayed nearby and an audience in front.
Men in suits and military uniforms applaud during a ribbon-cutting or ceremony, with multiple flags lined up in the background and a red ribbon bow visible on the left.
A large hangar-style venue with a vintage military airplane suspended from the ceiling as a crowd sits and stands for a ceremony near windows.
Group of military and civilian officials clap during a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a row of flags behind them and a red carpet in a bright atrium.
Smiling man in a blue plaid blazer and white shirt chats with a bald man in olive uniform at a crowded event hallway.
Smiling man in a blue blazer speaks with others at a formal indoor gathering.
Group of officials and uniformed military personnel cutting a red ribbon at a ceremony with multiple flags in the background, inside a glass-walled venue.
Smiling elderly woman in a red-orange blazer chats with two men at a networking event.
Museum exhibit hall with orange informational panels along a corridor, a vintage car displayed center stage.
Two World War II–style soldiers aim a large-barrel anti-tank gun from behind a sandbag barrier.
Blue United States Navy helicopter on display inside a museum, with informational panels reading 'Flight in Progress' nearby.
Museum exhibit showing a large artillery gun with two soldiers in green uniforms beside it, and historical photos on the wall behind.
Museum exhibit with glass cases of military uniforms and weapons, and a sand diorama featuring soldiers firing a large gun.
Military tank displayed on an angled yellow ramp in a museum, with a soldier figure in the turret and exposed machinery.
Smiling couple poses for a photo against a dark wall with white text and stars; a photographer is visible on the right.
Tank on a beige inclined display platform in a dim museum hall, with more armored vehicles in the background and spotlights overhead.
Large crowd of people socializing at a reception inside a hangar-like venue, with a vintage plane on display in the background.
Museum exhibit of military vehicles including tanks and a jeep, with a beige ramp display and visitors strolling the hall.
Three women chat at a social gathering, with the center woman in a bright pink shawl smiling at them.

Winski thanked state leaders, local governments, donors, construction teams and volunteers who contributed to the project. He also recognized longtime supporters Jack and Margie Turner, whose contributions helped fund portions of the museum, including the Liberty Atrium and immersive Chinook helicopter experience.

Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division, Major General David Gardner, called the opening “a huge highlight” of his career and noted the museum was built without direct Army funding. “I’m grateful to report that this premier tribute to our heroes has not cost the U.S. Army a single dollar, and that’s through your generosity,” Gardner said.

| Previously: TriStar Health announces $100,000 gift to support Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum

Gardner explained that the museum is designed to be accessible to the public and serves as “the Army’s museum of vertical envelopment and warfare,” tracing the development of airborne and air assault operations from World War II through modern conflicts. The ceremony concluded with the official ribbon cutting, followed by tours of the facility for attendees.

Additional support for the museum was also announced on Friday by TriStar Health, which donated $100,000 toward exhibits, educational programming and community experiences connected to the museum. The healthcare organization said the contribution reflects its continued investment in the Clarksville and Fort Campbell communities.

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