Exploring the United States Army Heritage and Education Center

The United States Army Heritage and Education Center is a museum and research complex located in Carlisle (at the Carlisle Barracks), Pennsylvania. They are dedicated to education and preserving the legacy of the men and women who have served their nation as Army soldiers. With an archive and library housing millions of books, letters, personal papers, photographs, and artifacts, the Heritage & Education Center tells the story of the U.S. Army and its veterans through exhibits, a research facility, and the Army Heritage Trail.

The Visitor and Education Center features a 7,000 square foot interactive exhibit gallery, conference facilities with state-of-the-art audio visual and catering capabilities, a museum store, and the Café Cumberland. The main exhibit, entitled, “The Soldier Experience,” tells the story of the U.S. Army through the eyes of the men and women who lived its history.

The entire facility is designated as a national history museum that's focused on educating others about the Army. It's open to the public and there's no admission fee, so you can enter the complex during their normal business hours of Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. The buildings and structures are open to the public during normal business hours, while The Army Heritage Trail is open every day, dawn to dusk, weather permitting.

When visiting, you can walk through the exhibits to learn about the Army's past and present. The exhibits are very educational and realistic in what they're trying to portray. If you're really interested in learning more, you can watch their past lectures online via their website. Throughout the year, they host and participate in several special events, and you can find information about the special events on their website. I also recommend that you follow them on Facebook for up-to-date information too.

We weren't sure what to expect during our visit and we're pleasantly surprised at everything they had to offer. It was a great education and humbling experience. They're family-friendly and do have activities on-site that children would enjoy too. Overall, we spent a good 90 minutes wandering around the complex and checking out all of the cool items that they had on display.

You can learn more about the United States Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania by visiting their website online. If you're interested in military history, this is a great FREE place to visit, especially if you're going to be visiting Gettysburg which is about a 30-40 minute drive away. It's a really cool place to visit!

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